


The Calling

by Soft_moonlight



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Family legend, Fluff and Humor, Jiwe family's problem, monastic life, spirituality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:40:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 45,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25541509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soft_moonlight/pseuds/Soft_moonlight
Summary: The spiritual life called Ava. She pursued it. But her love for Sara halted her. Would she ignore her spiritual calling? Would she ignore Sara?Sara was waiting. She had been waiting for Ava for long time, perhaps would be for the rest of her life. Once she got her but it seemed that she had to let her go again.The rest of the Legend were there, together in friendship like a big family, with Nate who wanted to be with Amaya, and Ray to be with Nora. But Ray had to face Nora's infamous father, Damien Dahrk.And Amaya had been separated with her twin, Charlie. She even didn't know she had twin. What happened in their past?From the childhood, they all entered the adulthood, still together.
Relationships: Charlie/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Nate Heywood/Amaya Jiwe, Nora Darhk/Ray Palmer, Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Comments: 18
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

At twelve years old, Ava told her parent that she wanted to be a nun. Her father, Randy Sharpe, gave her several books about how life in a convent, about religions, philosophy, famous monks and nuns. Then for years, all spiritual books he could get, he provided for his only child.

Her mother, Pam Sharpe, felt worried. It is not an easy life. But her husband asked her to let Ava live her life as an independent human being. "Beside," he said, "It might be only temporary phase. If we refuse it, she will insist strongly just to oppose us. She will lose the propose."

At fourteen, Ava still wanted to be a nun but also wanted to be a professional athlete. Volleyball became her second obsession. And she was good at it. Her team won school competitions in the town, then in the district and province.

Her father got busy fixing their backyard and build an indoor volley field for Ava and her teammates to practice even during the winter. They lived in a big area of family land. Then he began to search books about sport, nutrition, health and athletic for Ava to learn about.

Her mother kept worrying her only child wondering what Ava's life would be. But she said nothing. 

At seventeenth, Ava entered the convent. She had to study preparation for five years before the Sisters agree to ordain her. The convent was with boarding school in a big city not far from her small hometown. Ava should stay inside the whole year, only could visit her family once a year at the Christmas holiday. 

The rules were very strict. No visitors except in the annual parents meeting. No personal phone. All packages and belongings should be reported. But Ava liked the living there. It suited her. She was a loner. Beside, some sport were allowed including volleyball. 

In the Summer of her third year, Ava came home arriving at the door of their house with her suitcase and belongings. 

Randy and Pam Sharpe were about to have dinner that time when the main door bell sounded. They looked at each other wondering who might be. 

...

At his early twenties, Randy Sharpe told his father that he left the college and would travel alone backpacking around Asia. His father allowed him and gave him some money that he refused saying he would find part-time jobs on the way. He just asked for the air plane ticket to India. 

Grandpa Sharpe had confidence that his only son would be back. Grandpa waited and read short messages that Randy was in Nepal for a couple months, then next travel to Bhutan, went across South East Asia for next couple years. Randy never asked for money. Grandma Sharpe asked him to call her every month that he could do only every three or four months. 

After six years, Randy came home without any announcement arriving at the door, just like Ava right now standing and looking at him with her trouble eyes.

And like his father accepted him back without questioning anything, Randy questioned Ava nothing, just a big hug then escorted her inside.

Pam, knowing her husband and her daughter for long time, concealed her worry in her long hug, then started preparing dinner for Ava.

Ava couldn't be more grateful with her parent. She couldn't face questions yet. She wasn't ready to give any explanation, even to herself. 

....

Randy had converted the indoor volleyball field into a small apartment hut for Ava to stay during her yearly visit. Her childhood room was still untouched inside the house but Ava preferred staying at that small hut. There were a complete kitchen, a medium cozy bed, a working bench, and a toilet. Ava could stay the whole day without going anywhere. 

At the first day, Pam supplied food and drink for a week into the refrigerator. She wanted to help cleaning the room but Ava refused her. The next couple days Pam and Randy hardly saw Ava. They knew Ava stayed up pass midnight as the light from that hut informed it. 

After a week, Ava started to do her old chorus helping Pam and Randy. She started to have breakfast and dinner with them. But she didn't linger long and she still was very quiet. 

...

Randy didn't worry too much about Ava future as since Ava was born he already prepared it. He secured some investment for Ava. And after knowing her wish to be a nun, he kept saving much more for Ava, like how his father did to him. It was family tradition. Although he told Ava about it, he still educated Ava to earn her living by helping her mother and taking care the house.

Pam was a herbalist. She planted herbal trees in her garden. Ava had learned how to take care of it since she was very young. Anytime she wanted, she could study and become herbalist. She already had basic knowledge. 

And there was a family business too that he took over from his father. He hadn't introduced it to Ava, not until Ava asked for it. His father did the same to him. About half year after he came home from Asia, he asked his father about family business. Grandpa Sharpe introduced him from the lowest place, a cleaning service department. He started working like other cleaning men. No one knew him. 

He wondered if he would do the same when Ava asked about it. But Ava still was in her quiet time. She sat quietly or walked restlessly inside the hut. Sometimes she went to the tree house he made for her in her eleventh birthday. He remembered how his father waited for him, never asked or mentioned his next plan. So he and Pam decided to let Ava be. Ava was a sensible person anyway. 

....

One morning, about a month after Ava came home, a beautiful young woman knocked their door, smiling at him when he opened it.

"Hi, I am Sara Lance. Ava's friend." 

Randy smiled back and liked her right away. He introduced himself and Pam who walked from her garden to see who was coming. Pam seemed to adore this young woman instantly too. Pam held Sara's hand and asked, "Are you coming from the Sisters?" 

"What? Oh, no. I met Ava at the volleyball summer camp. Three years ago." Sara told them. "Is Ava at home?"

"Yes, she is at the backyard. I will call her."

Randy left them to call Ava. When he came back, he found his wife and Sara already were in the garden squatting near a herbal tree with Pam was explaining something and Sara was listening earnestly. 

"Ava will come soon." He informed them. They stood up and still were chatting when Ava was coming, almost like running. 

"Sara." Ava called her.

Sara looked at Ava and smiled, "Hey."

When Ava said nothing more but only looking at Sara without smile, Randy told them to go to the hut to catch up. Ava turned and walked. Sara followed her after smiling politely to Randy and Pam.

"What a nice girl." Pam said to him watching them leaving. "She knew about medicine. She is studying to be a doctor. Her mother loves gardening too."

"Really? You know it only after a minute talking with her? Women are amazing." Randy teased her.

Pam laughed and they both came inside the kitchen. Pam saw a lemon cake from their breakfast and wanted to give it to Sara.

"She must be hungry." 

She left with a plate of the cake walking to the small path to the hut. And just in instant she came back still with the plate of the cake in her hand entering kitchen and sat slowly in front of her husband who was looking at her with a questioning expression. 

Pam put the plate on the table between them and looked at her husband.

"They are kissing." She said in a quiet tone.

In her husband's eyes appeared an understanding. He said, "About the time."


	2. Chapter 2

At twelve years old, Sara learned that Laurel wanted to be a lawyer to fight for justice. Their father was a police captain. They heard him sighing how the bad guys he captured only for being released by the judges. 

Laurel said she would fight like their father but in different way. Laurel was two years older. Sara wonder if she wanted to be a cop or a lawyer. 

One night her mother took her and Laurel to the hospital. In there she found out that her father got injured and being cared. She saw the doctor and nurse helped her father. 

Then she knew that she wanted to be a doctor to help her father in different way too.

At fourteen years old, Sara met Ava. 

Ava with her team volleyball came to her school for the competition. Sara couldn't take her eyes off from Ava. Her movement, her strong arm hitting the ball, her leadership to her teammates, all came into Sara's mind and dwelled there. 

After it was over, Ava and her team left before Sara could move from the chair. Sara wasn't into volleyball. She was in martial art practice. But watching Ava playing volleyball, Sara decided to join volleyball practice.

And soon her gang friends joined her too. Amaya said practicing volleyball would make her taller. Nate would always follow Amaya. Ray said he wanted to calculate the distance and the strength to throw the ball effectively. Zari said she had nothing else to do. Mike said he liked punching the ball.

None of them practice seriously. They just like being together and Sara just wanted to know news about volleyball competition. But others knew that she only wanted to know about Ava. They helped her. Every news about Ava in volleyball competition they would send to Sara. They found pictures of Ava and bombarded all to Sara's inbox.

Zari searched news about Ava family. And Mike took them all by bus to see Ava in competition. Amaya would stand so close to take pictures of Ava with Sara's phone. Meanwhile Sara couldn't find words or breath to announce her existence to Ava. Ava still didn't know that Sara existed.

Zari found out that Ava's teammates always joined Volleyball Summer Camp. The next summer, they joined it too but only to find out that Ava wasn't there. Her teammates said that Ava always worked at her family's farm during the summer.

The next year summer they kept coming as Ava's teammates were there and Sara could have more news about Ava. Somehow Zari could have Ava's pictures at school from Ava's teammates. But they refused to give Ava's phone number. 

...

At seventeenth years old, Sara found out that Ava wanted to be a nun.

She was in the third summer camp with her gang friends that time. The camp started two weeks ago and she heard from Ava's teammates that they all were sad to lose Ava. They pleaded Ava to join this summer camp as a goodbye party but Ava couldn't come.

"Isn't she too beautiful to be a nun?" Sara whispered to no one but her gangs were there listening. They are all in silent, even Mike couldn't said anything. 

...

At the last month of that summer camp, Ava Sharpe arrived.

Sara almost fainted seeing Ava walking into the dining hall to sit among her teammates. Then they came together to Sara's table to introduce Ava. All of her friends were standing to shake hand with Ava and chat nicely.

Sara heard someone said, "Ava, this is Sara Lance." 

She saw Ava turned to look at her. Their eyes met for the first time. They both said nothing. Sara felt the time stopped at that moment. She was trying to feel her breath. All of their friends were watching without dare to breath too. They felt like they were witnessing some magical mystical moments passing through between Ava and Sara. 

Finally Ava said, "Hi." And moved her hand forward.

Sara felt Zari nudged her and moved her hand to meet Ava's hand. When Ava hold her hand, Sara felt an electric impulse between the softness and the gentleness of Ava's touch.

Then Ava let it go smiling to everyone and excused herself to her room. Her teammates followed her leaving Sara and her gang. 

Amaya couldn't bear it. She came to hug Sara and soon all came into group hugging except for Mike who sat a bit far watching with contemplating expression. 

"Let's go to the beach." Mike invited them and walked outside. They followed him. Amaya and Zari walked closely beside Sara. 

Ini the beach, they left Sara to sit alone on a big rock. They played in the water and ran on the beach. Sara watched them for awhile then she looked at the ocean to let her mind being embraced by the calmness of evening sky. 

Sara knew that she was in love deeply with Ava. It was useless to deny it. She accepted it. It made her calm and peaceful. 

She saw her friend gathering from the sea and all looked at the camp side. Sara followed their look. And she saw Mike walking with Ava and coming closer to them. Mike seemed explaining something to Ava. 

Sara realized that Mike intentionally took Ava for her. She breathed long to calm herself. 

Mike and Ava came close beside her. Mike pointed the rock and told Ava, "You sit here."

Ava obeyed him and sat beside Sara. Mike left them after signalled other to leave too.

For some moment they sat watching the sea in silent until Sara found her courage to be calmed. She thought that she had been in love with Ava for three years. And soon Ava would be a nun. This might be the only chance for her to talk to Ava.

Suddenly she felt that the restlessness evaporated along with worry and nervousness. She felt a strength in the calmness. She turned to look at Ava and smiled. 

Ava smiled back and slowly said, "Your friend, Mike, said that you have been waiting for three years to talk with me."

Sara sighed and thanked Mike quietly to make this easier.

"Yes. I do want to talk with you."

"I am honored. I did want to meet you too."

"You did?" 

To her surprise, Sara saw a slight blush appeared at Ava's face.

"My teammates gave me your pictures after they met you. Since your first summer camp here."

The blush at Ava's face was getting deeper. Sara lowered her eyes trying to ease Ava's nervousness. She turned and watched the coming sunset. Then she heard Ava continued speaking with her soft voice almost like a whisper. 

"They said you always came to watch our play. And they took your pictures every time. I have a lot of your pictures."

Sara felt her heart became warm and and light. It seemed all colorful flowers emerging in her heart and spreading everywhere. 

She asked Ava softly, "May I hold your hand?"

Ava gave her hand. Sara took it with both hands and caressed it. Ava caressed back. For a moment they sat in silent watching the blue sky getting red.

"I saw your fight in judo competition." 

Sara stunned. Ava continued.

"I came to watch you. Every time. Although I dislike to see you being beaten. I saw your friends but they didn't see me."

Ava seemed so shy. Sara couldn't stand it. 

"Aves, may I hold you?"

Ava opened her arms and let Sara came closer. She was aware how Sara called her and she liked it.

Sara felt Ava shivering in her arms. She deepened her embrace and waited until Ava relaxed and comfortable. Then she cupped Ava's face and looked into her eyes.

In those beautiful eyes Sara saw love and softness. She saw kindness and earnestness. She was overwhelmed with the understanding that Ava loved her too. And she knew Ava could read how she loved Ava.

...

When Mike came back to give them blanket, he saw them sitting side by side in silent. Sara leaned to Ava and put her head into Ava's shoulder. Ava put her arms around Sara. 

They thanked Mike for the blanket. Behind Mike, Nate came closer with two tumblers.

"Hot chocolate." He said. "Amaya made it."

Not long others came and sat nearby with some blankets and tumblers too. 

They talked idly and told stories. Ray told them about the stars as nebula and how meteors rotated around the Earth. Ava listened still with one arm around Sara's waist. 

Nate asked Ava about for what reasons she wanted to be a nun. Ava took some moments before she answered. 

"I feel the Calling strongly."

Sara stiffened in Ava's arm. Ava knew it and held Sara tightly to comfort her. 

"I also feel the Calling. Strongly. From Amaya." Nate said. Others laughed. Amaya punched him. 

The night came fast and it got too windy. Amaya decided that it was better for them to go back to their rooms. 

Ava slept in her teammate's room. Before they are parted, Ava kissed Sara's forehead and said goodnight. 

...

Amaya and Zari waited to interrogate Sara.

"How many times did you kiss her?" Zari asked.

"None." Sara answered while laying her back on the bed.

"What? Why?" Zari disbelieved her.

Sara sighed.

"I couldn't find it."

"Find what?" Amaya asked. 

"Her wanting to kiss. And it made me not wanting to kiss her too."

Amaya and Zari looked at each other.

"Is it because she almost to be a nun?" Amaya asked. 

"I don't know. How she loves seems not like other people. Not like something that I knew before. And it made me love her in different way too."

"Girl, you sound so strange." Zare chidded complaining.

Sara laughed. "No. I am still me. Never mind. Let's sleep."

"I wonder how you sleep knowing her so close?" Amaya teased Sara.

Abruptly Sara sat up and said, "You are right. Oh... she is there. How if I ask her to sleep here beside me."

"And let us watching both of you behave nauseatingly?" Zari said.

"Let's try to sleep." Amaya said.

Sara closed her eyes. She missed Ava. But she felt asleep soon while she was thinking of Ava.

...

Meanwhile Ava felt relief and unburdened. She had been tortured by her feeling since she saw Sara's pictures. She gathered information about Sara and went to see her from distance. She tried to understand all of this. She was so afraid to come to talk to Sara. Frightened with how she felt. She wasn't mature yet to deal with this feeling. So she waited for another couple years.

She knew Sara would come to Summer Camp again this year. She braved herself. It was her last year. Soon she had to leave.

Now she was happy that she had confessed her feeling to Sara. She knew that she could move on to continue her life. And she wished Sara could move on too. 

All seemed at ease. 

Ava felt asleep.

...

In the morning Sara was so sad to find Ava had already gone. She left Sara a note apologizing for not telling Sara about her leaving. She forgot about it. She only had one day off to come. 

Ava didn't leave her number. Her teammates refused to give it, no matter how hard Zari tried to bully them.

Ava didn't give any promises that they could meet again. Sara devastated. Her instinct was right. Ava loved her but she didn't want to do anything about it. She just needed to confess it. To find out that Sara loved her too seemed didn't change much her situation. Ava accepted it. Just accepted it. Then she left.

...

Should she feel angry? Sara asked herself. But she didn't feel angry or humiliated. She just feel sad of missing Ava. She didn't know where Ava would go for study. She wasn't sure that Ava would be glad if she came to find her.

It seemed their paths should be separated for uncertain time. She had no choice but to continue her life. Perhaps one day, somehow, she would meet Ava again. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ava moved into the convent that Autumn. She was ready to live her new life. Her room was not like she knew from the story. It wasn't dark or cold. It felt warm and bright. The walls were soft yellow and plain without any ornaments. It wasn't big but it was comfortable. The wooden bed was big enough for her tall body. There were a table with lamp and a chair. There is no clock at all. She wasn't allowed to bring any clock. 

Sister Gideon who took her to her room said that she was expected to come to The Sister's Office after she finished arranging her belongings in her room. It took her less than fifteen minutes. Then she walked to find the Office. Sister Gideon was in there reading some papers.

"Sit down, please. Wait a moment."

Ava sat in front of the Sister looking at a firm but kindness face. Sister Gideon seemed young in her forties. 

"I have reread your paper that you sent to us." 

Ava suddenly recognized the papers in the Sister's hand. 

"Quite inspiring." The Sister said.

"Thank you, Sister."

"I will be your mentor during next five years, perhaps more. We will talk and discuss many times during the first year until you are in the same page with us. Or at least you understand it."

"Yes, Sister." Ava said when Sister Gideon took long pause.

"This is a list of books we suggest you to read in the first year." Sister Gideon handed a piece of paper to Ava. "You can borrow the books from the library."

"When will the class begin?" Ava asked. 

"There's no class here." Sister Gideon said, looking straight to Ava's confused face. "You read and learned from these suggested books by yourself. If you don't understand something, you can come to any Sisters here. We will explained."

"How long should I finish one book?"

"As long as you need."

"Is there any exams?"

"No. There's no test. No exams. No dateline."

"How will you know that I have understood or not?"

"Your behavior. Your mental attitude. Your manner. Will show it. Genuinely. It cannot be manipulated. We see you the whole day. In every occasion. It will appear in you. It is more important than any paper test results."

Ava was taken back. It was very new for her. She used to have a dateline, a progress report, a schedule, to keep going. 

"Will you give a schedule for me? When I should study or doing something?"

"Schedule to study is by your own. You arrange it. You take full responsibility about it. Including schedule to cleaning your room or laundry."

Sister Gideon paused a second to be sure that Ava followed her. She continued, "There will be a daily community schedule for each of us to do. It is given in the early morning. Every day. And we cannot know before that. If it is in our personal schedule time, we have to change our personal schedule. Do you understand?"

Ava nodded.

"The community schedule duty cannot be changed easily. And we cannot ask others to do for us. It means to teach us about flexibility and acceptance in unknown changing. You will understand it on the way. Any questions?"

"There's no clock allowed. How to know the time?"

"By the bell. There are waking up bell, gathering bell, midday bell, afternoon bell and night bell. We don't tie ourselves with time."

Sister Gideon kept silent seeing Ava trying to process the new things for her. Then she said, "It is never easy to adapt or change to a new idea. Our old habit are too strong. But we can do it with applying the new habit regularly. Freedom is what everyone wants to have, but only few can manage it."

Then Sister Gideon told her to go to the library before went back to her room. 

....

Ava made her own schedule and remade it, changing and cancelling it as the community duty was always so erratic. But she got used to it. She finally managed to use time right away when it was possible to do certain things, and not to procrastinate it. 

She was eager to learn more and many times came to the Sisters to ask some questions. And how the Sisters responded to her, answered her or directed her were much more astonished her than what she read in the books. 

One Sister told her, "Don't memorize the words. It is not important to remember who said what in which book. It is more useful when you can apply it. Naturally."

Ava was a grade A student. She used to memorize many things. Word by word. Everything had to be into her common sense or she got confused. So there, she got confused so often. 

To her surprise, Bible is not the most important book in here. They did use some reference from it but mostly it was from any other books without mentioning which one. She didn't tell anyone her thoughts. She kept observing it. 

And she found out that it was much more difficult to have much free time than to have fixed schedule. It made her tense in wondering if she had study in enough time or too much. She asked one Sister about it. The Sister told her to pay attent to her rythm. "The body and the mind inform us our conditions all the time. We often are too busy to listen to them."

When Ava did pay attention, she found out that she often overworked to distract her mind from Sara. She tried hard to not think about her. She missed her badly. But she had closed herself from the world. She had refused Sara. And made Sara sad. Oh, Ava felt guilty. Why didn't she talk and say goodbye to Sara once more before she came here. Ava knew why. She was afraid that she would never be able to leave. 

Ava promised herself that after she finished her study here, before she got ordained, she would find Sara. Sara would not forget her, but perhaps there would be another. Suddenly she felt hurt to think Sara would love any other than her. She found out that she was crying. 

She missed her parent. She wanted to tell them about Sara. She had been sure that she could handle it by her own. But now she wasn't sure anymore. She wanted to looked at the depth in Sara's blue eyes and found love in there for her. She wanted to feel Sara's arm holding her closely with her hand caressing her back softly.

She persuaded her heart to be patience. Ava knew that Sara's parent lived near this convent. She was in Sara's hometown. This convent was behind the church.

Beside the church, on the right side was a public library, and on the left side was hospital. In front of the church was the City Townhall and beside it, in front of the hospital was the police department where Sara's father worked. 

Ava didn't know where or if Sara would continue to study or worked somewhere. But she was sure she could find Sara by finding Sara's father. One day she would do that. She just needed to wait.

...

The Sisters actually were very fond of Ava although none would show it. Ava learned fast about their way of mental attitude. She had a natural good and humble manner. She knew when to keep silent or when to say her thoughts. She could adapt with the sudden erratic situation and recovered fast without exposing much emotions. So they all agreed that Ava was ready for a small public service duty. It was after more than two years of observation. 

Sister Gideon took Ava to the front church and taught her what to do before and after the regular events. Before anyone came and after everyone left, Ava had to prepare then arrange back everything. She got this duty once a week at first then twice. Which day it was, Ava never knew before the morning. 

After a few month, the Sisters felt satisfied with Ava responsibility. They agreed to give Ava more public duty. She would accompany two or three Sisters while they went to give calming talks to the patients and the family at the hospital. 

Sister Gideon asked Ava to pay close attention to how and what The Sisters said to the patients or the family. Ava needed to know the suitable gestures and words to be spoken to give calmness. She had to memorize it, not to write it in front of the people. And soon they would talk to Ava too. She had to learn very quickly. 

"Needn't to feel nervous." Sister Gideon said after seeing Ava seemed uncertain with herself. "Just focus on how suffer these people feel. You will understand what to do. Naturally."

So Ava started to go with the Sisters to the hospital. The Sisters told her to not talk unnecessary but just simple smile of acknowledgement. 

After few weeks, Ava could do smoothly listening with compassion and talking with kindness to the patients and the family. The schedule was much more uncertain as it could be a sudden dying patient who requested to have comfort from the Sisters. Ava should be able to get ready in the few minutes. 

...

"We cannot get inside into other's suffering." Sister Gideon said to Ava that morning after the night before seeing Ava walking back from hospital with tears. "We need to stay strong and calm to influence them to be calm."

Ava nodded. She still couldn't let it go. The patient was a small girl dying in sickness. Ava had talked and played with her several times. Now the sickness was getting worse. 

After that the Sisters disallowed Ava to see the dying patients, just with the sick ones. Ava needed to consult this matter again and again with each of the Sisters to have better understanding. 

After a few weeks, Ava was able to understand how to keep her peacefulness in that sad situation. 

....

The Sisters had allowed her to attend the dying patients again. 

That time was an elderly woman. Sister Gideon sat near the patient and spook gently and kindly. Ava took fully attention to the Sister. The granddaughter of the patient sat beside Ava. Ava held her hands and stayed in calmness. It affected the granddaughter much. She stopped crying and started to accept it.

An assistant doctor came to check the patient. Ava paid no much attention. The assistant doctor bent down to speak to the patient. Sister Gideon stopped speaking. When the assistant doctor started to speak, Ava turned her head abruptly to see the assistant. 

"Sara." 

The assistant stopped speaking, slowly straightening her body and looked at Ava, whispering...

"Aves."


	4. Chapter 4

Sara didn't know that Ava was living that close. Sara had stopped trying to find Ava. She respected Ava's decision to leave her to pursue her path. She was Ava's hindrance and distraction. She didn't want Ava to fail to fulfill the higher calling. 

The legend, her gang friends, still tried to find Ava. They stopped it too after Sara refused all of their suggestions. To be honest, some suggestions were very ridiculous. Mike suggested to make announcement of missing person. Zari tried to hack the national church system computers. Ray suggested to visit different church every Sunday and asked about Ava. Perhaps Amaya's suggestion was better. She simply wanted to visit Ava's parent and asked where Ava was.

But what for? Even though they could find Ava, Ava didn't want to see Sara again. Ava knew how to find Sara. Let Ava be the one to reunite them. Sara would only wait.

Nate asked if Sara would like to move on. He could find a date for Sara. Sara even didn't want to hear it.

...

Soon they all graduated from high school. Ray continued study in science. Amaya was to be veterinarian. Sara was in medical school. Nate was into human physiology behavior. Zari was up to IT. And Mike went to a pub and got job there. All had moved on to the next step of their lives. And all still were together in their hometown city. 

They met gradually at the pub where Mike worked. They planned the summer into a trip with part time jobs in somewhere on the way. They collected money to buy a minivan, not a new one like Ray suggested and wanted to pay for it. They all wanted to contribute. It would belong to them all.

They bought it at last and it needed to be repaired much with the cost even higher. Ray kept thinking that a new one was cheaper but he didn't say it.

Finally they made it. A minivan was ready to go with a toilet and two bunk beds. They managed to put two cozy sofas too. 

Sara's father, worrying about the trip, came to check the minivan. He ordered them to change the wheels. All the four. And he paid for them. Ray really was very sure now that the new car was much cheaper and safer. 

Mike would be the one who drove it most. He put an ice box beside the driver place and filled it with beers. All was for him. 

And the day came for them to start the trip. They traveled following Nate's directions. He seemed always knowing the longest way to reach a place. Finally Amaya and Zari took the charge. 

Sara mostly sat beside Mike, listening others, laughing with them, or looking nowhere in silent. Many times when she was asleep, Mike heard her calling Ava. Once Mike told others to listen too. Then they all sat in silent, not knowing what to say, until Mike looked from the mirror and saw that they all had fallen asleep too.

They took jobs in any town when the cash was getting low. They would stay in that town for a couple daya. Sometimes they worked at a bar or a restaurant. Sometimes they used Ray's abundance source to survive for days. Sometimes Mike paid the bills as it seemed every pub always had job for Mike. 

They went to church every Sunday, to find Ava. Amaya and Zari who did the searching and asking. Sara still was unsure if she wanted to find Ava, perhaps only to see her from distance.

After three months, they came back home, with a similar plan for the next year summer. 

...

Ray asked for the minivan to be kept by him during the year. Secretively he did some repairing and improvement. He even had a brief thought to change it for a new one but it would be too obvious. 

Ray had patented several inventions in his junior years. Actually he didn't need to attend the high school or went to the college. He had mastered it.

He had big incomes from his inventions that he needn't to find job anymore. But as Nate said, someone needed to adopt him. It meant that all of them had to adopt Ray so he wouldn't get lost nowhere. 

Mike, Amaya and Zari were orphans. They met in a foster house years ago and since that time Mike took responsibility for both girls. Mike ran away and found a better place. He came back and took Amaya and Zari with him until Ray found it out then he paid some foster families to foster three of them. In secret. Ray kept many secrets actually those he dared not to tell. 

Nate's father was wealthy politic figure and a businessman but Nate disowned him. He refused his money as it came with a force to study politics and be a politician. So Nate paid his intuition by scholarships and part time jobs.

...

For the second summer trip, Ray had opened one side of minivan into a big window door. It could be laid down outside and served a a table. He also put some portable kitchen set those could be opened outside and inside with small refrigerator too. 

He tried to explain that all used power from the sun and the wind. He showed them a small device that he put above. No one else really understood though but all were very happy. 

Sara always put a happy face in front of them but everyone noticed the sadness in her eyes when she thought no one saw her. So they kept planning to visit churches everywhere even when it wasn't a Sunday. 

They took different route this time. Sara started to think that others did this trip really to search for Ava. Sara asked them but they said it was just a small part of their trip. Nate even said that he enjoyed the structure of the old churches. 

The second summer trip finally was over and they started to plan for the next one.

...

Since the beginning year of her college time, Sara had taken a part time job in the hospital to get credit faster and to get used with medical stuff. 

She studied hard and worked at hospital in most of her free time as in hospital there were often emergency cases which took her attention fully. And for that brief moment she could forget how she missed Ava.

She often saw some Sisters come to visit dying patients but she didn't want to pay more attention as it would make her miss Ava too much. 

When she finally met Ava again, she couldn't think or say. She heard vaguely that the Sister with whom Ava came said something to Ava and to the patient then they left. Sara still stood up watching them until someone touched her arm. She looked at the person and started to regain her awareness. 

"Yes?" Sara asked the person that was the family of the patient. 

"Are you alright?" That woman asked her.

Sara assured her that she was fine then she accosted the patient like she intended before to encourage her.

She knew the patient and the family since they both stayed in the hospital. She didn't mean to interrupt the Sister. She just learned that the patient was in a depression. Directly she came to cheer her up like she usually did. And...

Oh, Aves...

...

"You mean how foolish we are. We searched into hundred churches outside the town but no one.... no one ever thought to search in our own church. That is in front of our eyes. That we see every day."

Zari said it word by word with pressure tone.

Amaya closed her eyes shaking her head. "Unbelievable." She said.

Nate and Ray looked at each other helplessly. Mike, like usual, sat a bit far with a bottle of beer.

And Sara, after she told them, she slouched into a chair. They were at Mike's workplace. The pub hadn't opened yet. 

Suddenly Sara closed her face with her hands and cried. She felt tired. Amaya ran to her and put her arms around her then she cried too. Zari came to sit beside them laying her head on Sara's shoulder and trying to not cry. Nate came and sat behind Sara then put his head at Sara's back. Ray stood straightaway watching them with tears he couldn't stop. 

Mike went to the kitchen and made some hot chocolate drinks. He came back after he saw others got calm. He gave them the drinks and a box of tissue paper.

Everyone took the chocolate drink and drank it over. They got calm.

Then as sudden as she cried, Sara laughed. Others laughed too. Even Mike was smiling. 

It was really very funny anyway. 

...

"What should we do now?" Amaya asked.

All looked at Sara. 

"I don't know. " Sara said.

"We need to find more information about sister student." Zari said. "There must be some leak that people can meet and talk to them without the Sisters watching."

"Ah." Suddenly Mike said then walked out. "Be back in half hour."

Others looked at one another. They often forgot that Mike was around. Mike rarely said something. But he always did the right thing at the right time, like some wisdom suddenly struck him.

Sara tried to figure out Ava's expression. Was Ava happy to see her? Ava kept looking at Sara while following the Sister to go. 

"Oh." Zari suddenly got up, and like Mike, she walked out. "Be back soon."

The rest of them stared at the door.

"Anyone else have to leave?" Ray asked.

Everyone shakes their head.

"Oh. Sorry." Ray looked at Sara. "Now I am the one who need to go. I will be back soon." And he left.

Sara looked at Amaya and Nate. 

"I am here. Not going." Nate said.

And Amaya put her hand into Sara's arm.

"Oh." Nate said. 

"Just leave." Sara told him.

"Be back soon." Nate said and left.

"What happened to everyone." Amaya said 

...

After awhile, they finally gathered together again.

Mike reported, "The novice, that is the sister student, has duty to come before and after the event on the schedule. This is the schedule time." Mike handed a paper to Sara. "And mostly they come alone without the Sisters. But the schedule is uncertain. Which novices in next duty we cannot predict."

"How did you find it out?" Amaya asked.

"The church keeper is my buddy beer. He often comes here. He told me that." Mike explained. 

"So now we need to find out when Ava has the duty there." Zari said. 

"Luckily, I have put some hidden camera in the church and in some places." Ray cheerfully said and opened his laptop to show them the life video of the inside church. 

"Isn't it illegal, Ray?" Nate asked.

"I asked permission from the church owner." Ray answered. 

"You know the owner? Who?" Nate asked again.

"Well, the God, of course." Ray said sheepishly. 

"You better never let anyone find it out." Sara told Ray worriedly.

Ray nodded. "I will transfer this video into each of your phone so all of us can see if Ava comes for duty."

Zari handed a bunch of papers to Sara saying, "This is a current list of members in the convent right now. About The Sisters and the students novices. Their structure organization. List of responsibilities and so on. I will send to each of you. Just printed out one."

Amaya smiled happily, "We can understand their position. It will be very useful."

"And this," Nate handed the large paper, "The blueprint of the church and the convent. And this their layout explanation. See, now we can figure out Ava's room."

"Are you suggesting us to do breaking and entering?" Amaya chided. 

"Well, we never know. But we need to know this layout. Like in a war to a castle." Nate said.

Now all were looking at Sara who was staring at the floor.

"If it isn't about Ava, I will say, let's kidnap the girl. But... if Ava hates me because of this, I will die, guys." 

"You don't worry. We will say that you didn't know." Nate tried to calm her.

"And we go to the jail together." Amaya finished the sentence.

"Guys, let's take a break. We need to think." Sara pleaded. 

...

Sara was in front of the patients lobby at the hospital when she heard Nate called her. She saw Nate running. She went outside to meet Nate.

"Don't speak loudly here. Hospital." Sara told Nate. "What happens?"

Before Nate could answer, Ray came running too. "Sara." 

Then Amaya and Zari arrived too. All were panting. 

"You should see your phone. We tried to call you." Amaya chided.

"Sorry, I am still in duty." Sara explained. 

Zari said plainly, "Ava is in duty too. Right now. Church. "

"She will be back in fifteen minutes." Amaya told Sara.

"Here, the record." Ray showed the phone to Sara.

Ava was walking out from a room into the church preparing some books. She was doing something behind the podium then she left.

"Let's go to the church," Nate escorted Sara.

"But I am still in duty." Sara refused it.

"I will replace you. Give your white jacket" Zari said and forcefully took off the jacket from Sara.

"Do you know what to do?" Sara asked. 

"Explain please." Zari pleaded.

"Just check the patients. If they have problems, tell the nurse. Don't do anything." Sara explained. 

"I will go with her. Don't worry." Amaya calmed Sara.

"And we wait outside the church." Ray said pushing Sara to walk.

Sara walked side by side with Nate and Ray. Nate put her arm on Sara's shoulder. 

"What should I say?" Sara asked. "What if she becomes angry?"

"You stop thinking. Just walk into her. She might will be the one who say something. Then you just answer." Nate adviced.

"We will be on guard if someone else comes. See, people have been leaving. It will be empty. Ava will come out soon." Ray said, looking at his phone.

Nate nudged Sara to walked inside. Sara walked and was walking still when the door was opened and Ava came out. 

Looking at Ava, Sara couldn't stop her step and didn't want to. She kept walking. Ava saw her and froze. Sara had reached Ava and she kept forward embracing Ava. She didn't want to stop or to think.

She felt Ava put her arms at Sara's back. Sara looked at Ava and cupped Ava's face. And she put her lips into Ava's. 

Others who saw this in their phone stopped breathing, including Mike. And they saw that Ava kissed Sara back.

...

They kissed until they had to stop to breathe.

Sara put her head into Ava's neck and put a little kiss there. Ava shivered. Sara tightened her arms around Ava's body. She closed her eyes and refused to notice anything else but Ava's presence. Her scent. Her soft skin. Her breathing movement. Her arms.

Loud bell sounded shocked them both causing them to break the embrace. Ava took this to walk back inside the door

"Aves." Sara followed her fast.

"Sara, I should go." Ava reached Sara's hands and held it tightly.

"I will wait for you again in here." Sara said then she stole a chaste kiss from Ava's lips.

Ava blushed then released herself and left. Sara let her go watching the closing door for long before she walked back to her friends who were waiting for her.

Nate and Ray seemed touched. Nate put his arms to hold Sara then walked her back to hospital. Ray walked beside her holding her hand.

They met Zari and Amaya in the side car park near the side door. Amaya embraced her and others came into group hug. Then they smiled and said, "She kissed back."


	5. Chapter 5

Sister Gideon concerned. Her protege, Novice Ava, seemed to decide to stop eating. They have regular meal twice a day, breakfast and lunch. Then they had to fast until the next morning. 

The first morning, Novice Ava didn't show up, no one concerned. It is common to take meal once a day. Then when Novice Ava didn't come for lunch, Sister Gideon began to think that the novice took one day detoxification although actually the novice should inform the sister first. Sister Gideon let it pass. Novice Ava still fulfilled her daily duty anyway. 

After the second day Novice Ava still forgot about the existence of food, Sister Gideon needed to find the novice. At that precise time Ava came and asked her time for discussion. Sister Gideon was more than happy to provide it. She took Ava to the dining room. And although Ava felt it was uncommon, she followed the sister.

Sister Gideon told Ava to sit while she went to the kitchen and asked the duty novice there for some food and milk. Then she took and put it in front of Ava. She asked Ava to eat before they talked then she left the room.

Ava didn't feel hungry at first but when she started eating she realized how hungry her body was. She ate all the food tyen washed the plate. After she finished, the sister hadn't come back. She went to find her again.

...

Ava found the sister sitting on the bench near the indoor garden and waiting for her. She sat beside the sister.

Sister Gideon saw Ava already full, nodded to her to begin speaking.

Ava had made up her mind. She spoke directly and openly without hesitate about Sara, the assistant doctor they met at the hospital two days ago.

The Sisters actually had been waiting for Ava to talk about it. Sister Gideon had told other sisters about this matter. She had to cut off their visitation to the patient because the novice seemed too disturbed. It might disturb to patient too. Sister Gideon had come back to visit the same patient at the same day with another sister to make sure that the patient was fine. The Sisters had stopped Novice Ava's public service duty for awhile.

The patient looked fresher and trilled when Sister Gideon came. She told about the assistant, Sara, that often came to make her happy. She also asked about Novice Ava and said this Sara seemed in love with the novice. Sister Gideon only smiled at the patient who seemed alive for possible love story.

And now she was fully listening the novice stating out that she and this Sara were in love and how she decided to leave Sara but she couldn't forget her. She didn't know that Sara was working in the hospital.

Sister Gideon didn't interrupt Ava at all or made any gestures that could display her thoughts. After Ava finished, they sat in comfort silent. Sister Gideon was waiting for Ava to gather herself after this open up. Ava needed time to regain her self awareness. 

...

"Love is one type of feeling, an emotion." Sister Gideon said then paused waiting for Ava to absorb the meaning. 

Then the sister continue, "When we place any emotion to be in the important side of our daily basis, it becomes important. It can take charge to our life that day."

Sister Gideon paused again to give time for Ava.

"When we allow it to play much function, we might lose other sides of life." The sister continued slowly. "It could cloud our view."

"When we let it be in its basic state, it will perform its only basic behavior. It will not disturb the whole balance." Sister Gideon sighed softly wondering how much this novice could understand. 

...

In her nineteen years of life, Ava didn't place this worldly love in the most important place of her heart. That's why she could leave Sara to do what was important for her. But now she failed it. Ava said this to Sister Gideon. 

"You didn't place it in the important side but you push it into the smaller part. You disturb it by trying to not have it."

The Sister spoke softly but it hit Ava hard. She felt lost. The Sister knew it.

"Needn't to understand all right now. Just take what you can."

..

"Have you been in love, Sister?" Ava braved herself to ask this personal matter. But the Sisters were very open and honest. They didn't mind to share if it could do help.

"Yes. With the Father Hunter." Sister Gideon said. Ava knew that father who had talked to her several times. 

"We were in love for more than twenty years. It is not a secret." The Sister said.

"Are you still in love?" Ava asked.

"Yes. I am." The Sister answered watching fondly to Ava's startled face.

"And it doesn't disturb you?" Ava questioned but more like stating it.

"No, Child. We acknowledge it. We don't expect anything from it." 

"How to be like that?" Ava pleaded in devastation.

"It needs time to learn and understand it. Nothing is for instant. Trouble yourself not with what you still not able to understand. Just experience it"

Sister Gideon sensed that it was already too much for her young novice. She said, "Go back to your room. Take days off. Keep your peacefulness. Don't be too hard to yourself, please."

...

For next several days, Ava was being freed from community duty. She stayed in her room mostly, and attended regular meals as she was afraid someone would trouble themselves to bring food to her room.

She did much meditation and contemplation about love and balance life. She tried to figure out Sister Gideon's love story. She had seen Father Hunter worked with Sister Gideon for many times during almost three years she lived here. They were natural just like with others. 

The next day she had duty again in the church. 

...

What Ava didn't know and perhaps would never know that the Sisters noticed everything in their quietness. It was because they are always in fully attention to what they do or they encounter. 

After they knew about Sara, they began to notice people she was with. They knew Sara's friends right away. 

They knew one of Sara's friends who worked at the pub talked to the church keeper. They knew another friend sneaked inside the church and put asome device there. They had figured out what it was. And they knew that someone took the data from their computer. And they heard someone took a copy of the blueprint.

But as people who preferred the higher understanding, they always wanted to help others to improve themselves. And also mostly they notice Sara. They listen the patients they had visited talking about her, and they wanted to help her too.

After Novice Ava's confession, they gathered together to find out the best way to help both the novice and the Sara. They included Father Hunter too. 

And what the Legend didn't know was that Father Hunter was also expert in computer science. What they saw in the church that time, the Sisters and the Father also saw. Of course they knew that Sara would come. They didn't expect the kissing though. They only wanted to give these two youngsters chance to talk figuring out all.

Then they were waiting for Novice Ava's next step.

...

Life in the convent was still going like the Life goes. Days were passing by and the inhabitant still dwelled it in their peaceful and happy mind. But not for Ava. 

After the kissing, Ava walked back to her room in flying mode. Everything was so light and intoxicating. She laid down with mind was still in Sara's arms, in her soft lips, her warm voice saying her name. She laid down and fell asleep until morning.

In the morning, guilty and confusion filled her mind. There was something new that she didn't know before. Passion. Desire. Sara's kiss awoke it. Part of herself which had been in dark that she wasn't aware, now was full with sensation. It made her alive and light. It comforted her. But it also arrested her mind from performing another side of her life. She became unsure if she liked it.

After lunch she came to Sister Gideon with request to not have public service duty. She plainly stated the reason that she didn't want to meet Sara. She said about the kissing the day before. She didn't want it to happen again. It confused her.

Sister Gideon said that the Sisters could give her another duty for one month. Soon or later she had to do this duty again.

"I hope you know the different between running away from things you dislike because you cannot control it, and with you need time because you are not ready yet to deal with it."

After considering a moment, Sister Gideon said, "And I hope you realize and you are into this with another person. Whatever your decision to deal or to respond it, another person will get affected."

Ava closed her eyes suddenly understood that she didn't think much about Sara. She assumed that Sara would always know what to do and always could handle it.

"Sister, may I request your advice and suggestions about this matter? I don't know what to do anymore."

"What do you want in your life actually? What is your idea about you living this life?"

"I I always wanted to live and study like I do right now. Learning about better mental attitudes. About being kind and dealing with unkindness. So much things I still want to learn, Sister. I never think about being with someone, falling in love or marriage. Now I feel that I am torn apart."

"Have you ever discussed it with this Sara?"

"No. Should I?" Ava startled with this idea.

"She needs to know."

After awhile in silent, Ava asked, "Sister, may I stay with my family until I can solve this?"

"You may." Sister Gideon replied. 

"May I come back again?"

"You may." 

"Is there someone that leaves and comes back again, many times?"

"Yes." Sister Gideon smiled. "Don't worry about it."

...

Ava left the day after. Without telling Sara.

Poor Sara. She waited and waited. Days. Weeks. She sat in the empty church sometimes with friends, mostly alone. The Sisters often found them. They caught hope and disappointed in her eyes when she saw them in the hospital but without Novice Ava.

The Sisters noticed Sara's friend walked around the convent, seemed trying to go inside. 


	6. Chapter 6

They were in the pub planning to break in Ava's room at the convent.

"We can enter from this door. See, this is the closest way to Ava's room. Or possible rooms." Nate pointed a place in the copy of the blueprint. 

"Found the keys for the doors." Mike handed the keys to Sara.

"How did you get it?" Sara asked looking at two old fashioned keys. "It is like from century ago."

"The locksmith is my buddy beer." Mike said but didn't explain how he could persuade the locksmith to make the keys.

Mike was rare to give explanation. Others knew to not ask. Mike was about two years older. He skipped school to be in the same level with them because he wanted to protect Amaya and Zari from bullies. Mike considered them both and Sara also as his younger sisters that he was willing to take care.

For the matter of Nate and Ray, it seemed it was unavoidable that Mike should care of them. Like some extended luggage that he had to carry, Mike accepted them. And to Mike's concerned, Amaya seemed to like Nate. Mike didn't think that Nate deserved Amaya. In his opinion, no man deserved Amaya and Zari. 

Mike was still considering about Ava. They didn't really know Ava. But like others, it was because of how Sara loved Ava. Love for Ava that appeared in Sara moved them all. They never discussed that they should help Sara to find Ava. It was like a holy silent agreement they understood naturally. They should find Ava for Sara, or the world would never be alright.

...

"And we can see behind the door. I put the camera. At the tree." Ray showed it in his laptop.

"We know their routine. The good time is in the evening. They gather in their common room. Far from Ava's room." Zari concluded.

"And I go to Ava's room waiting for her to come back. Sounds not right." Sara said. "I don't know which one Ava's room is."

"Better to go twice. First day we plant a micro camera to see which room Ava enters. Second day Sara goes alone." Ray suggested.

"Guys, we break in a convent. They complain. We go in jail." Amaya reprimanded. 

"And Sara's father will release us." Said Nate.

"After kill us first." Sara added.

"There must be a simply way." Amaya wondered.

"Let's go this evening." Zari said.

"I work." Mike said.

"Better you stay out, Mike. Someone has to bail us from jail." Sara said. 

....

They gathered in front of the side door of the convent.

Ray and Sara would come inside. Others should watch and signal them if someone came.

They found the door was opened.

"Our lucky day. They forget to lock the door." Ray chided.

"You better be hurry." Nate told him.

Amaya and Zari watched from their phone when Ray and Sara walked inside. Nate watched the street.

"Ray, the key." Sara asked but then they found that it was unlocked. They stepped inside. Not long Ray came out and beckoned others to come.

"Perhaps they need help. You two wait here. I will check them." Nate walked inside. And not long he came out calling Amaya and Zari to come.

"What's wrong with them?" Zari complained as she and Amaya walked in.

When they opened the door and step inside, they heard Sara said, "These are Amaya and Zari. And, this is Sister Gideon."

They both startled and saw a Sister standing near Sara and smiling to them, and said, "Welcome. Is there anyone else?"

"No. All is here." Sara answered. 

"Good. Come with me then." The Sister lead them to a room. 

..

"What happened?" Zari whispered. 

"We stepped inside and the Sister was already standing there. Waiting for us." Ray whispered back explaining. 

"We are doomed. We will have a criminal record." Amaya devastated.

"My dad will be ashamed on me." Nate said sadly.

"My dad will kill me." Sara added.

...

They came into the room and saw Sister Gideon pointed a jug then said, "Lemon juice. Help yourself, please."

One by one poured the juice into a glass and sat in the half circle table chairs with Sister Gideon in front of them. Sara sat closely in the right side of the Sister. Ray sat in the left side. Zari sat beside Sara and then Amaya and Nate sat beside Ray.

Sister Gideon waited until they all took the drink and felt comfortable, then she asked, "Now, tell me. What can I do for you all?"

She looked at them one by one, smiling kindly. They suddenly understood why Ava liked to be here. They felt comfortable and relax. And it made them feel ashamed. One by one tried to say something but they all couldn't finish their sentences. Finally Zari couldn't stand it, she said, "We are looking for Ava." Then all became quiet. 

...

Sara apologized, "We came without being invited. We apologize. "

Sister Gideon smile, "You are forgiven."

Ray became quilty, "I apologize for spying with camera." He let the Sister saw his phone. "I will remove them."

"You are forgiven." Sister said and Ray looked relief.

"Sister," Zari said, "I hacked your computer system. Forgive me."

'Yes, we forgive you all." Sister Gideon replied. "Tell me then. Are you all Novice Ava's friends?" 

The Sister laughed when they all were speaking at the same time trying to explain something. The laugh made them stop then they grinned. Why it was so easy and happy to talk with this Sister. If they knew it before...

....

"Actually, Ava is Sara's girlfriend." Ray said.

Others nudged him, "Ray!"

"I mean almost girlfriend. No. No. Friend from Sara. So she is our friend too." Ray restated.

Sister Gideon looked at him, "You are all good friends."

...

Ray told the Sister about how he used to get bullied when he was young. "One day when I got bullied, they came to help me."

"Sara and Nate fought the bullies," said Zari. "Amaya help Ray. I ran to find Mike."

"Sara was very tiny but she fought like a tiger." Nate said. "Lucky for them Mike arrived or Sara might bite them."

Sara grinned and said, "Then we all went school and back walking together. Every day."

"And came to Sara's house eating chocolate cake her mother made." Zari added happily.

"Until now, Sister." Sara reported. "Unashamedly."

Sister Gideon laughed again.

...

Zari continued saying that she lost her parent when she was still toddler. She had no one. Her friends now were her family. Her only family.

Amaya said too about orphanage. How she felt lonely but now she wasn't lonely anymore. 

Nate told the Sister that actually he loved his parent but his father was too busy. When his father wanted him to study politics. He refused directly. Not because he didn't want to. He just wanted his father to notice him. So he left home. He often wondered if his father missed him. Suddenly Nate cried. Amaya hold him and Ray put his hand on Nate's shoulder. Sister Gideon comforted Nate, saying that she knew Mr. Heywood.

"He was a good man. The Sisters meet him regularly to discuss about education for the young people. I believe he loves you. He loves helping the youngsters." Sister said to Nate.

"Nate, anytime we can visit your father. You know that. We all go with you. At least to visit your mother." Sara assured Nate.

"Thank, Guys. So embarrassing." Nate said smiling. "Okay. Next drink on me." All laughed.

...

"Sister," Sara asked, "Do you think I am a bad person?"

"I don't seen you like that." 

"I distract Ava from her study."

"But actually you are a part of her study."

"Am I? I didn't see that way. Do you know our story?"

"Some part of that. Please tell me your part. If you want to."

Sara told her. It had been five years. She was chasing Ava. And she troubled her friends too.

...

"May we see Ava?" Sara asked.

"Novice Ava has left the convent. She stays back with her family."

"Is it because of the kissing?" Sara asked then she realized that it revealed Ava's part. "I mean. I kissed her."

"We know about the kissing. Don't worry." Sister Gideon said. "Novice Ava needs space to view her conditions. She couldn't do it here. Because in here she should study and has many duties. She needs to stay alone."

"Will she be back?" Ray asked.

"We don't know." Sister Gideon answered. 

...

Sara lowered her head. She looked so sad and defeated. Her gang friends looked at her then they looked at Sister Gideon pleading her.

Finally Sister Gideon explained, "The Sisters cannot interrupt or mingle with people's life or path if we are not invited or asked for. Unless it is an emergency matter, life or death matter, or sickness."

Oh, so they understood it but Sara still couldn't get it. Zari nudged Sara. 

Sara asked, "Sister, in this matter, you are Ava's mentor. You are at Ava's side. You prefer Ava to follow Sisterhood way. How can I ask you to help me?"

To Sara's surprise, Sister Gideon looked at her with eyes very soft and spoke in very gentle voice, "Sara, not everyone can lead people or manage ten thousands army. Not everyone can educate people or help people to improve themselves. Everyone has different part in this life. I don't expect every novice who come to me to ordain as a Sister. Some only mean to be a novice for a couple years, not to be a Sister. We provide it all. Only provide it. Not to bind them."

Sister Gideon paused a moment then said, "We don't take any sides. We see suffering and we ease it. You are in suffering in this matter. Why can't you ask for help?"

"Then I will ask. How to make Ava happy? How to release her form this confusion. Should I leave her completely?" Sara asked.

"If you are not happy, Novice Ava cannot be happy too."

"How to be happy being apart from her?"

"Why can't you?"

"I cannot. Right now still cannot. I still want to be with her."

"Is that all what you want? Tell me please how you want your life to be. Don't you want to be a doctor?"

"Yes. I want to be doctor living with Ava whatever she wants to be."

"This living together part, should it be in the same house? How about in the same area or country or earth?"

"I want to see her every day, to hold her..."

"This seeing, or holding or kissing, is it the most important matter?"

"It's... "

"In last five years, you met her three times, kissed her once, talked to her once. And you survive. If you should be like this for next five years or ten years, will you survive too?"

"I can wait for her. I can survive."

"So why don't you insert happiness and contented?"

"How?"

"You will work as a doctor that you like. And with knowing that she is around, and feel that she is happy and contented with her life... you can be happy with that, if you choose to be happy."

Sister Gideon paused waiting for Sara to absorb it. If Sara couldn't understand it, it would be hard for both Sara and Novice Ava to work it out. 

"Could it be done? Is anyone really living like that?" Sara asked. 

Sister Gideon once again told her love story with Father Hunter. 

"Novice Ava knows about it. And now you know too. I hope you and Novice Ava work it out together. It is hard if only one who be like this when other is not."

Sister Gideon looked at Sara, "I don't want to see you in suffering alone as it seems that she would be able to achieve it."

Sara understood that Sister Gideon really wanted to help her. She felt grateful.

Sister Gideon sighed. "Love is not static. It grows or withers. You and Novice Ava need to work together to nurture it. It cannot be taken for granted."

Then she ended it "Talk to her. Find her."

Then to everyone surprised, Amaya came to the Sister and put her arm around the Sister who just smile as she didn't get used with hugging. Amaya loved hugging.

...

"Sister, may we come again?" Sara asked.

"Yes. And it will be better if you come from the front door."

"Oh, will you report us for breaking and entering?" Nate asked. "It was my idea. Nothing to do with others."

"Nothing is broken and I invited you all to enter." Sister Gideon replied smilingly. "Usually the side door is locked. I opened it for you to come."

"Sister, how can you know that we were coming?" Zari asked.

"The keys that you made. The blueprint that you copied. The look at your faces. Enough to inform us."

Sister Gideon laughed seeing the legend's expression. 

Ray handed the keys and put them on the table, dared not to see the Sister's face.

...

They were walking back from the convent to meet Mike at the pub.

Ray sighed, "Do you think we can be grown up like that?" 

Everyone understood that he talked about Sister Gideon. 

"I think Amaya can. But I don't think I can." Zari said.

"I don't think I can. And I don't think Ray can too." Nate said.

Ray frowned at him.

"How about you, Sara?" Amaya asked. 

"If I am with Ava, for sure I can." Sara whispered. 

Zari sighed. "Sara, we know you are in love with Ava deeply. But it still amazes me to feel how deep it is."

Ray sighed too. "Do you think we can fall in love that deep?"

...

When they arrived at the pub, they saw Mike had been packing. 

"Where are you going?" Nate asked. 

"We all go. Summer trip. To find her girlfriend." Mike said pointing at Sara.

Ray told others that Mike listened their conversation with Sister Gideon from his phone calling Mike.

All were happy for the coming Summer trip.

"About the time." Nate said. "When will we go?"

"Tomorrow." Mike answered. 

"What? Mike?" Everyone protested. 

"Now go home. All of you. Packing." Mike said.

...

It took them three days before they could go.

Sara's father wanted to check the minivan. This time he was satisfied. It was in a good condition. Of course it was. Ray put many hours fixing every part of it.

...

Sara told Laurel about conversation with Sister Gideon. 

"Do you think I can be like that? Loving someone from far. Cannot be together. But not sad. Could it be?"

Laurel considered it. She felt amazed too with this idea. She planned to meet this Sister Gideon. 

"I think," Laurel said. "The point is there's no bad guy here."

"What do you mean?" Sara frowned. 

"No one forbids you to be with Ava. If there's someone like that, we can talk or do something to make them understand or simply ignore them."

"It is Ava's higher calling." Sara said sighing gloomily. 

"Yes. You know, Ava would never be happy if she doesn't pursue it. You will feel guilty all the time if you ask Ava not to."

"I want her." Sara whined.

"I know. And you will get hurt. Until you accept it."

...

"Mike, how about your job?" Amaya asked when they met again for the final preparation. 

"I quit." Mike answered. 

"And then?" Zari concerned. 

"I come back, I take the job again." Mike said.

"They let you?" Nate asked. 

"They will." Mike grinned. 


	7. Chapter 7

Mike stopped the minivan. They all saw a path through the big house in front of them. They saw the tidy garden with a small fountain at each side of the front door.

"You never told us that Ava comes from a rich family." Nate said to Sara.

"I didn't know." Sara said.

"Her teammates said Ava should work at the farm every summer. We assumed her family was a farmer." Zari told Nate.

"And she chose to live in the old convent." Ray wondered. 

"Let's get over it." Amaya said to Sara. "You meet Ava inside and we look around the city to find job and lodging. Call us after you finish."

"Take your time. Don't worry about us. We will have lunch somewhere. You have lunch with Ava." Nate told Sara.

"You go. We wait until they take you inside." Mike said.

Sara looked at the house feeling uncertain. 

"We will not leave you." Amaya assured Sara sensing her nervousness. 

...

Sara walked to the door, being received warmly by Ava's parents. Then Ava came. Without smile. Did Ava hate her for coming here? Sara felt insecure. She followed Ava came inside the hut.

Just after the door closed behind her, Sara saw Ava turned back and reached her. Next she knew was the soft lips pressing on hers and she let her lips apart to give access for Ava's tongue that had been waiting. She moaned feeling the sensation. It made Ava shivering and deepened her kiss. She heard someone came closer but she didn't care. Then they had to stop. To catch the breath. Panting. She put her head beside Ava's.

"You are here." Ava whispered with longing and loving tone. Sara felt it. She felt ease. She leaned on Ava and fainted.

...

Ava catched Sara and carried her to her bed. She took off Sara's jacket and laid her on the bed inside the blanket. Then she sat on the sofa beside the bed. She looked at Sara closely and for long time. She realized she never really saw Sara this close and this long. She saw dark surrounding Sara's eyes. She looked tired. Ava felt guilty, so much trouble she burdened on the woman she loved _._

 _Why did I behave like that? Running away. Hiding. Leaving her alone. Letting her get hurt._ _So selfish. How could Sara still love me?_

...

Sara was exhausted. They arrived at an inn yesterday night, near Ava's hometown. They took two room. One was for the girls. Other was for Nate and Ray. Mike always preferred to sleep alone in the minivan. Sara didn't sleep at all that night feeling worried to meet Ava. How if Ava didn't want to see her. What had she done for years longing for Ava and troubling her friends? Why did she do this to herself and let her friends take the burdens too? Did Ava actually love her like her friends did?

Sara decided this should be the last summer holiday that she took her friends on the mission of Ava. Three volleyball summer camps and three summer trips. It was enough. She should move on for the sake of her friends. It was unfair for them. But could she stop loving Ava? If Ava didn't love her like she wished to be loved, would she still love Ava?

After discussing with Sister Gideon, Sara began questioning about love. She discussed it with Amaya and Zari too. Was the difference between teenager's love with the mature one like Sister Gideon mentioned? Ava and Sara even didn't really know about each other. To be fair, Ava never asked to be loved by her. She couldn't demand Ava to love her like the way her friends loved her. Sincerely. 

And then Ava kissed her. She melt. She had nothing left. Only Ava's softness and tenderness. And then dark claimed her.

...

When she awoke, she saw Ava smiling. She sat and smiled back.

"I have prepared lunch. Do you want to eat now?"

Sara nodded. They ate in silent, sat side by side. It was cold sandwiches and blueberries cakes. Sara leaned on Ava's side. After finished, Sara helped Ava washing the dishes. Then they sat with warm coffee. 

"Aves, how much time do you willing to give for me? To talk, I mean."

"Three months. This Summer. All for you."

Sara stunned. She expected only several hours or days.

"Deal." Sara said. "The whole day and night. Can we?"

"As you wish, my love." Ava whispered. "I have been thinking when you were asleep, how selfish I was letting you suffer alone. I promise..."

"No." Sara stopped her. She didn't want to burden Ava with promises. "No. You never asked to be loved. Or asked me to wait for you."

"But I like it. I let you love and wait for me. Actually I should explain to you about my life. I wasn't ready." 

Sara sat in front of Ava trying hard to not move closer. They wouldn't talk but kissed if they sat too close. Their hands touch each other on the table, and she felt Ava's knees beside hers. 

...

"How did you get here? Alone?" Ava concerned. 

"No. Mike drove us here. They all went to find jobs. Our third Summer trip."

"What's that?"

"It's actually a trip with multi purpose." Sara laughed. "For holiday. Part time jobs. Searching you."

"Searching me?"

"Yes. Not seriously. I think. We went to church after church and asking about you. Two Summers. We believe it has been hundreds churches. And the funny thing is we never looked at church nearby that actually you were there." Sara laughed remembering the moment they felt so foolish. 

Ava listened and tears came without she realized it. She caressed Sara's hand. _Oh my baby. My love._ She whispered. Sara looked at her.

"Why cry? Please don't. Babe. All is fine." Sara moved beside Ava, cupping her face and kissed her.

...

"Sara, do you hate me?"

"No, why?"

"I left you. Twice."

"Aves. I saw this from your side. You had planned your life. I have no right to stop it. Although it would be nice if you said goodbye."

"I didn't want to say goodbye."

"You didn't? You wanted to meet me again?"

"Yes. I have to fulfill this calling. I planned to study hard. After finish, I want to find you."

"Then?"

"Then I will know if I want to be back to convent or not."

"Oh. You still want to stay in the convent?"

"The possibility is still there, Sara."

 _Oh man. Like a circle. Wishing and disappointed. Sister Gideon was right_. _If she couldn't love maturely, she would be in suffering alone._ Sara wished she could be more mature right away to avoid this hurt.

"Sara. After I finish study if you don't wait for me. I understand."

Sara nodded. They sat in uncomfortable silent. 

_I wish Sister Gideon in here. I need her guide. It feels wrong._ Ava frowned. 

....

"Oh, I forgot. There are always jobs at my family's farm. Every summer. Your friends can stay and work there." Ava informed Sara.

 _Funny,_ _now I am the one who want to run away._ Sara sighed. _I wish Sister Gideon is here._

"I will let them know. Thank you. "

Sara opened her phone to text Amaya but there was a message from Amaya telling they already got jobs and place to stay.

....

They both were busy with their own thoughts. Ava tried to understand Sara's sudden quietness. She tried to cheer her up. But Sara seemed lost. And Sara tried to cheer herself up but she couldn't feel happiness. She couldn't understand herself. Ava was here willingly to talk. But...

"I wish your sister is here, Aves."

"My sister?" I don't have any sister."

"I mean Sister Gideon. Your mentor."

"Eh? Have you talked to her?"

"Yes. We met her in the convent t when we tried to find you."

"You came to the convent to see me?"

"We actually almost got trouble for breaking and entering. Sister Gideon caught us. Red handed." Sara laughed. She told Ava the whole story. Then suddenly Sara stopped talking, seemed unsure. Sara felt some pressure. Suffocating. Could Ava tolerate what she and her friends did? Breaking rules. _Oh, we came from different world._

Ava witnessed Sara change from laugh to quiet and change back. Then Sara went inside her corner again.

_What happened? This is already too much. They need help._

"Is it ok if we tell my parent about us?" Ava asked. 

"Ok. I like your parent. You never told them about me?"

"No. Not yet."

....

Randy Sharpe was sure that his daughter soon would come to introduce her friend properly. She was always a polite child with good manners. He believed it was because Sharpe family mostly had only one child in every generation. The child directly felt the responsibility of the family.

He remembered that he understood it right away. His parent showed respectful gestures to talk to him. It made him respect himself much. He and his wife showed this same respect to their daughter. She became respectful to herself. That made her to not do disrespectful things. Ava always had respectful manners. 

Randy took a glance when Ava and Sara came to his study room. His wife was there sitting beside him. They were reading together about some herbal stuff which his wife asked him to take regularly for his health. 

At a glance of her daughter's face, Randy caught her frustration. Sara looked depressed too although she smiled at him and his wife. There was no smile in his daughter's face. Ava never smile when she had something on her mind. She took everything very seriously. 

Randy and Pam smiled back for Sara. Then they gestured their daughter to start speaking.

...

"Sir, I knew about Sara years ago since I went to her school for volleyball competition. Gary overheard she was talking with her friends about me. Gary took her pictures. When I looked at her pictures, I fell in love with her. Then Gary and Nora helped me to find more information about her. They took her pictures in every place I had volleyball competition. Then others told me that Sara and her friends joined the Volleyball Summer Camp and asked a lot about me."

Ava took rest a bit. Sara stunned. It was all new information for her. _Ava was in love with me that long?_

The way Ava told this to her parents astonished Sara. Ava spoke calmly without hesitation and looked at her father's eyes or her mother's. She was this open to her parent. She addressed her father _Sir_!

...

"The Summer before I entered the convent, I decided to meet Sara to confess how I feel about her. I thought after that I could be contented and be able to let go all. But when finally I met Sara, things changed. I wanted to have life with her. It would be after I fulfill the study in convent. I didn't tell her. I didn't like to give promise. I didn't know what would happen in the convent. I had talked with Sister Gideon that time and I liked the sisterhood life that I sensed from her. I wanted to be like her. I missed Sara a lot. I promised myself to find her one day. Then we met in the hospital when I had duty with Sister Gideon there."

Ava took a moment to remember what Sister Gideon told her. And Sara almost couldn't breathe listening that Ava wanted to have life with her.

"I told Sister Gideon about Sara. And I learned that time that it is fine to have like this. And I should know in where to put it in my life. So it will not cause me suffering."

Ava took a deep breath and continued. "Then I met Sara again in my duty at church. And we kissed. This caused me feel many things that I didn't know before. It confused me. I asked to be free from service duty because I didn't want to delay my study. I wanted to think about all of this without distraction which was confused me. I gave the reason to Sister Gideon by confessing the kissing to her. She advised me to discuss this with Sara because Sara needs to know my position and hers. And Sister said that I could only have one month free public duty."

"That time I was still too confused to meet Sara again. So I asked permission to stay at home during this time of contemplation. Sister allowed me. I planned to tell Sara after I settled down here. I planned to ask her to stay with me this Summer holiday. But then she came here. And she agreed to stay this Summer."

"I told her my position in my life. I need to go back to the convent to finish the study then I will find her. If that time I still need to study more, I will be back to the convent. If all is finished, I want to ask Sara to marry me."

Just as she finished saying it, she realized she hadn't mentioned anything about marriage to Sara. She turned to look at Sara, at the right moment to catch her. Sara fainted. Again.

...

Randy carried Sara to Ava's childhood room and put her on the bed. Pam examined Sara. Ava was standing behind them worried. 

"Her body is fine. She is strong and healthy." "Pam said. "She has mental exhaustion. Lack of sleep too." 

Pam looked at Ava, "Don't wake her. I will concoct some herbal." 

Then she left. Randy followed her after reassured that both Ava and Sara were fine.

...

"I cannot believe my own daughter." Pam said when Randy reached to hold her from her back. She was heating the water in the kitchen and preparing some herbal. "I would be fainted too if I was Sara. Too exhausted." Pam leaned back on her husband. 

Randy chuckled. "It's our Ava. She views world differently."

They were standing watching the herbal got concocted.

"Do you agree?" Randy asked. 

"Agree what?"

"For Ava to marry Sara."

"Right now what I want is to save Sara from Ava."

Randy smiled. "Do you think we over educate Ava?"

"We and the Sisters." Pam sighed. "Sara has a healthy mental state at her own age. Ava is somewhere up there. Sara tries too hard to reach her. To understand her. In short time. She pushes herself too much."

"Ava should be the one who reaches Sara." Randy agreed. "It's good for Ava to have Sara. Sara will put Ava on track."

"If Sara is strong enough to stay. She almost has mental breakdown." Pam concerned. 

Pam put the concoction herbal into a thermos container. "I don't want Ava near Sara when Sara awakes. I will accompany her."

"Ok. Ava will help me preparing dinner." Randy kissed his wife's forehead. Together they left the kitchen. 


	8. Chapter 8

_"And I will ask her to marry me."_

It was the last thing that Sara remembered that everything became dark. When she awoke, she was laying on a bed in a nice and comfortable room. And she heard someone talked to her nice and warm.

"Hi, there you are. How's your feeling now?" Pam asked helping Sara to sit down.

Sara examined her body, "I think I am alive still." She said smiling. "Apologize to trouble you."

"Ah no." Pam answered. "Sit here. It's more comfortable." Pam pointed the small sofas and sat in one of them. Sara got up and sat near Pam. Pam gave her a glass of herbal drink. She took it.

"Hmm.... it's good. Red dates? Ginseng?" Sara asked. 

"It's for energy. You recognize them." Pam smiled.

"My mother likes to drink some like this. And whatever mother likes, all of us should take too." Sara laughed. 

Pam smiled. "Do you have any sibling?"

"Only Laurel, my elder sister. Two years older. She is about to be a lawyer. She wanted to help our dad. He is a police captain. They both want to fight the bad guys."

"And you want to be a doctor."

"I want to help them. But law study is complicated. Many formal talking. I don't like. I like fighting directly. I took judo class in high school. My mom dislikes if I become police like dad. She is worried. So I study medical."

Sara sipped the herbal drink. "It's good. Did you study herbal medicine?"

"Yes. In China." Pam answered then she continued after seeing Sara waiting for her story. "I went to China during Ava's father journey around Asia. We didn't go together."

"What happened?" Sara asked. 

"We were not married yet. We were engaged when we were about nineteen. But he wanted to learn about spirituality in Asia. We broke up. We agreed to let other to marry someone else. So I didn't wait for him. And he left for six years. I went to China to study herbal medicine. I got license to practice. I got job in South East Asia. Herbal doctor."

"Then how you met Ava's father again?"

"He came to hospital where I worked. He was sick." Pam laughed. "He didn't know I was there." 

Sara asked, "Then you married there?"

"No. We were dating again. I wasn't sure if he was still in his spiritual pursuit or had overcome it."

Pam chuckled seeing Sara frowning. "Just like Ava."

"Then Ava's father told me to give him one year. He would go back to his home to review everything. He would come back after that to marry me if I still wanted it."

"And he came back. One year after?"

"Yes. He already worked with his father. We married here. Ava was born not long after that."

"Does he let go his spiritual journey?"

"No. Still. But in different way. Not like before. In fever."

"Oh. Family traits?" Sara grinned. 

Pam smiled. "Seems so. Ava is still in fever. Like her father was. It will take time."

"What should I do then?" Sara felt sad again. 

"Live your life. Stay with yourself. No need to follow Ava. It's exhausting. Let's Ava reach you."

Sara contemplated it seriously. "If I don't understand her, she will not be happy. She will leave me again. Because of confused."

"She will leave anyway. It's in her blood. It is you that I am worried about. I don't want to see you in suffering alone." Pam concerned. 

"Eh?" Sara startled. 

"Yes?" Asked Pam.

"Sister Gideon said exactly the same thing."

"Oh. Because we both know Ava."

...

Ava lurked into the room seeing Sara talking happily with her mother. She came back to the kitchen frowning. 

"She is happy talking with mother or her friends. She seems sad when talking with me. I don't know how to make her happy. " Ava told her father. 

Randy said, "She is still confused to talk with you."

"What should I do then?"

Randy said after considering briefly. "Just follow what she wants. Make her happy. Don't burden her with your stuff. Always make her easy. Solve her problems but don't give her yours. You take care yours."

"Is that what you do with mom?"

"Precisely." Her father grinned. 

...

Sara sighed. "It is so easy to talk with you but it is so hard to talk with Ava. I still don't know what to do with her."

"It is simple actually, you know. Give her space to do her stuff. You pay attention but you needn't get involved much in it. Let her solve her own problems but ask her to help yours. She needs to feel useful and worthy for you."

"And just be yourself." Pam continued. "Your happy and adorable self. Be wild. Don't worry about her reaction. If she really loves you, she will adjust. Know when to pay fully attention to her needs. But don't neglect yours."

"Is that what you do with Ava's father?"

"Precisely."

....

When Sara and Pam walked out from the room, dinner is almost ready. Randy was still busy arranging the plates. Ava was carrying some glasses. 

Sara accosted Ava, took the glasses and put on the table. Then she kissed Ava. 

Ava hold her and tried to free herself, "My parent."

Randy said loudly, "Your parent are not looking at you. They are busy arranging the table."

"See, they are not looking." Sara said and put her lips on Ava's.

"Sara.. wait. Sara.." Ava still tried to stop Sara but then she remembered her father word. J _ust follow what she wants. Make her happy._

 _Ok then_. Ava decided. She kissed Sara fully ignoring her parents. Sara couldn't be more happy to obey.

...

"I told Ava to follow whatever Sara want." Randy informed Pam.

"I told Sara to be herself. Be wild." Pam said.

They both chuckled. 

....

After dinner, Pam made some herbal juice and explained to Sara the function of it. Sara helped her while listening. 

Ava and Randy were sitting near them in the kitchen. 

"Sara came with her friends. I am thinking to invite them working at the farm." Ava told Randy.

"Where are they now?"

"They find jobs somewhere and place for tonight. Don't know where."

"Invite them to have dinner tomorrow."

"I will." After silent for a moment, Ava said, "I am thinking to use the Summer house for about a week. I want to live there with Sara."

"Only one week?"

"I am not sure we can get long without you and mom or her friends. I try for one week and see what happens."

"Are you afraid to be with Sara long time?"

"Yes. I am not sure I can make her happy."

Randy seemed concerned. "Relax."

...

Pam and Sara sat beside them and handed the herbal drinks. 

Randy talked to Sara, "We have listened your story from Ava. Now please tell us your side."

"With your own way." Pam said. "No need in formal way."

"Ok. See, I saw her playing volleyball. She was so strong and beautiful. Although she never smiled. She moved fast. She lead others. Gave instructions. I couldn't stop watching her. My friends knew. They sat beside me. Then they took Ava's pictures and searched information about her."

"My friends... there are six of us. We are always together since junior school. It seems they want me to be with Ava. Don't know why. It was them who found about Volleyball Summer Camp and willingly to play volleyball. We didn't play it before. They searched news about Ava and took me to all of Ava's competition."

"Then in the last Summer Camp, we found out that Ava wants to be a nun. I felt devastated. Others didn't know what to do too." Sara spoke slowly thinking about that time.

"Ava came for one day at that Summer Camp. Mike invited her to talk with me. Actually I almost gave it up. I didn't want to distract Ava from her path. But then she told how she felt about me. Oh. I was very happy. I wanted to be with her always. Then she left."

"I felt very sad. Actually I understood her. I gave up looking for her. But my friends seem never give up. Until now. We didn't know where Ava went to study. They... I mean my friends planned the Summer Trip. We bought minivan."

Sara smiled remembering the minivan first conditions. "It was not new. Very ugly. And needed many repairing. Cost us even more. But we all were happy with it. We worked part time job the whole year to buy it." Sara laughed. Pam and Randy laughed too seeing her laugh. 

"My dad found it out and checked for the safety. He said we weren't allowed to go unless we changed the wheels. All four of them. But we didn't have much money left. So he paid for us." Sara grinned. "We tried to pay him back but he refused. Then we traveled the whole Summer. We went to churches asking about Ava. Many churches along the way. Two Summer Trips."

"Then..." Sara laughed "I met Ava in the hospital I worked. She stayed in our church. We never searched our own church. So we put camera inside the church spying, waiting for Ava had duty. All six of us. Ray put it into our phone. So we all can watch it. Then Ava was in duty while I had to work in hospital. I didn't see my phone. They ran to find me to inform it. So I could go to see Ava. I didn't know what to say. So I kissed her. When she kissed me back, it was so happy. All of us were happy."

"We waited again. We didn't know Ava has left. We wait for almost a month. Then we tried to go inside the convent. Nate had the blueprint. Mike duplicated the keys. Ray put another camera. So we went inside and Sister Gideon has been waiting for us." Sara laughed. "But she is very very kind. We understand why Ava likes to be with her. She talked to each of us about our life and we plan to meet her again."

Sara told the whole story with laugh and smiles. Randy and Pam listened with smiles. Ava listened in silent. 

...

Sara felt exhausted after telling the whole story. 

"Now I am here with Ava and confused with our relationship and the future."

Sara closed her eyes. Pam directly came to hold her and said, "Let's have some sleep. You sleep here in Ava's old room. You can use Ava night clothes." They walked together into the room.

...

Ava sat with her father in silent. 

"We are so different." Ava said.

Randy nodded.

"Is it why you left mom to Asia?"

Randy nodded again.

...

Pam waited until Sara changed her clothes and sat on the bed. She said, "Don't think too much. Try to sleep."

"We are so different." Sara said.

Pam hold her and Sara hold her back. Crying silently. Until she felt asleep. Pam put her laying on the bed. Blanketing her. Wiping her tears. She sat sighing. Then she went out. Turned off the lights and closed the door.

In the kitchen, her daughter and husband sat silently. She sat beside them and said, "Sara is asleep. "

Then they kept the silent. 

...

Randy broke the silent, "Ava, this three months, forget about convent and the calling. Can you?"

Ava nodded feeling too tired to speak.

"Give all your attention to Sara. She deserved it. Stay in the Summer house. Three months. Give your whole time for her. Can you?" Randy asked. 

Ava nodded again.

"After three months is over. She has to be back to her study, you can do your stuff. Whatever you want to." Randy sighed. "Make her happy, please."

"Yes, Sir. I will."

...

_"There's no bad guy in here." Laurel said._

Sara awoke remembering it. She felt thirsty. She went to the kitchen for water. After she drank, she looked at the hut. There was a light from it. Sara looked at the clock. Almost dawn. She went outside walking to the hut and knocked. 

Ava opened the door and let her in.

"Aves." Sara hold her snuggling her face in Ava neck. Ava kissed her forehead.

"You didn't sleep?" Sara asked. 

"Just awake." Ava answered. "Let's lay down."

They walked to the bed to lay down. Sara put her head near Ava's neck. Ava hold her. And they both fell asleep. 

...

Pam called Grandma Sharpe that night telling her about Sara. History had repeated itself. 

Grandma Sharpe was there for her during her engagement and broke up with Randy. Grandma encouraged her, calmed her and supported her.

And now Sara was here. She would face it from Ava.

Grandma said, "This Sara should be very strong or she will be in suffering alone."


	9. Chapter 9

Meanwhile that day, the rest of the team had another story to tell about. 

They waited until Sara came inside the house. They saw Randy and Pam Sharpe receiving Sara.

"They seem a nice guys." Mike grunted then drove the minivan searching for a gas station. They found it not far from Ava's house. They stopped and looked information for jobs. They were informed that Grandpa's Farm always received young people to stay or work during summer.

Mike asked Amaya and Zari if it was fine to be back to a farm. Zari and Amaya looked at each other briefly and nodded. They stayed with a foster family in a farm when they met Mike who came for working. Usually Mike never paid attention to the young children. One time he was sick badly. He was in delirium of high fever. He felt he was taken cared by small hands. When he finally could open his eyes, he saw Amaya and Zari were there feeding him. They also tried to do his work so he wouldn't get trouble. They were still very small about seven or eight years old. Since that time Mike decided to take responsibility of them both.

They lived at that farm pretty well for the next several years. The farmer wife liked kids but then she died. The farmer was broken heart and became drunk all the time. Once Mike saw him beating a farm boy, Mike decided that place was not good enough any more for Amaya and Zari. He told both girl to be ready. He would go and be back within a month to take them away. Mike came back two weeks after, at night time. Then they ran away with a motorcycles riding a long the night. Mike said he stole the motorcycle. They couldn't go at day time beside it was three of them. 

Mike was barely fifteen but looked much older. He was big and strong. Working hard at farm had him lost his boyish face. He told people that he was already eighteen so he got job. Mike stayed at the back of a store and he rent a room for both girl. He took the girls to a school nearby. How he had money to pay the bills, the girls decided to not ask, feeling uneasy with possible answers. In that school they met Ray, Sara and Nate.

One day a police and social worker came to take them to the orphanage. Mike was nowhere to find. Later they found out that he was being arrested and released because he was still underage. What happened that time, Mike said nothing and others dared not to ask. He had to attend the school. And not long after Ray got money for his invention, they all were fostered by some families.

...

They arrived at the Grandpa farm. A man in his fifties came out from the house to see them. Suddenly he said cheerfully, "Hey Charlie, you come back early. You bring friends. Who are they?" He accosted Amaya grinning to her.

Mike came beside Amaya and said, "Amaya is not Charlie."

Before the man responded, a boy and a girl came out from the house. The boy saw Amaya and grinned, "Charlie, you look very different." 

But the girl said in surprise tone, "Aren't you all Sara's friends?"

"You know Sara?" Zari asked. 

"Yes. Oh No. We are Ava's bestfriends. We took your pictures often. I am Nora. And this is Gary. And this is Mr. Green, Gary's father." Nora said. She looked at Amaya, "You are not Charlie then. We always think you and Charlie are very similar but different. Where's Sara?"

"Sara is with Ava. We took her to Ava's house. I am confused. You took our pictures? And who is Charlie?" Zari asked. 

"Kids, better talk inside. We are about to have dinner. Plenty food." Mr. Green invited and he walked to the house.

They looked at each other. Ray decided, "We go inside. I know the girl. Let's go." He walked and other followed.

Nora looked at Ray, "How do you know me?"

"I mean I saw you taking our pictures. When Ava had volleyball match, right?" Ray said turning his head to see Nora.

"Do you know me too? I also took your pictures." Gary said walking beside Ray.

"No. I didn't remember seeing you." Ray said.

"I always was with Nora taking pictures. Why do you remember her but not me?" Gary frowned. 

"Oh that's because she is pretty." Ray answered then he realized it and blushed. Nora blushed too. 

Others looked at Ray with wide eyes, they were raising their eyebrows. _Ray noticed a girl pretty?_

_...._

Inside the house, a woman received them, "I am Mrs. Green. Gary's mother. Oh.. Charlie? Good to see you. I didn't expect you until next week." She gave Amaya a hug.

"She's not Charlie. She's Amaya." Nora explained. 

Mrs. Green stared at Amaya disbelief. "Twin sister?"

Amaya decided to say nothing. Confused. Others stared at Amaya.

...

They took food from the kitchen and followed Gary and Nora to the barn beside the house.

"We eat here. Mr. and Mrs. Green eat inside the house. Not enough place in the house." Nora explained. 

There's a long workbench and chairs. They put the food on it. 

"Do you always have plenty food like this?" Nate asked reaching a chair to sit down. 

"No. This is including our dinner. We didn't expect guests." Nora said.

"We can go to the city for lunch or we pay for this food." Ray said.

"No. No. You are Sara's friends. Ava will never forgive us if we let you eat outside. It's fine. We will cook more for dinner." Gary explained. 

...

"So, tell us, why did you take our pictures?" Nate asked, stopped chewing his food for awhile. 

"I overheard Sara said about Ava. I sat in front of her. So I turned around to see her. She asked who Ava was. I took her pictures to tell Ava." Gary said between his chewing. "Ava don't like us giving information about her."

"We told Ava. She seemed to like Sara right away. She asked about her. Then we saw you all again and again in next volleyball matches." Nora informed. "We found information about Sara. She won Judo competition. Ava wanted to see. So we went there. Every Sara's judo match."

"Why didn't we notice you around Ava?" Zari frowned.

"We didn't play volleyball. We are Ava's bestfriends." Nora answered. 

...

"Who is Charlie?" Nate asked. 

"She's our bestfriend too. Ava, me, Gary and Charlie. High school friends. Every Summer we work here." Nora explained. 

"Does she really look like Amaya?" Zari asked. 

"Yes." Both Gary and Nora answered. 

"We saw in the pictures. Charlie is confused too. Charlie is orphan. She is not sure if she has sister." Nora said.

"I am orphan too." Amaya said.

"We wait until Charlie comes here." Nora said.

"Charlie didn't dare to go to see you. She doesn't like complicated things about the past." Gary told Amaya. 

"Actually next week Ava planned to invite Sara and you all to stay here. She wants to spend this Summer with Sara. You all are inseparable. And we like to have more friends here. At the farm." Nora told them.

....

After lunch, Gary took the boys behind the barn. There are four rooms and a bathroom. He invited them to choose rooms for each. Nora took the girls inside the house. Upstairs there's one big room with two big beds. Nora said that four of them, with Charlie, should stay together. "I hope you both don't mind."

Both Amaya and Zari didn't mind. They had stayed together in many different conditions.

"Charlie and I always take one bed. Ava was in another. But Ava will not stay here this Summer." Nora said.

"I wonder what happens with Ava and Sara now? They have many things to sort out." Nora wondered.

"I texted Sara to tell we have jobs and place. So she needn't worry. She hasn't replied yet." Amaya informed.

"We better wait until Sara contact us." Zari suggested. 

...

At night, Amaya called Sara. Ava took the call.

"Sara, are you ok?"

"Hi. This is Ava. Sara's asleep. Where are you all?"

"Hi Ava. Amaya. We are at your Grandfather's farm. With Nora and Gary."

"That's great. I wanted to invite you there."

"We like this farm. Thank you."

"My father invites you all for dinner tomorrow. With Nora and Gary too. Formal Welcome from Sharpe Family."

"Great. We will come. Tell Sara to call me tomorrow."

"I will."

"Good night."

"Good night."

...

Amaya put the phone down. They were still at the barn, having dinner. Ray accosted her, "How's Sara?"

"Shs is asleep. Ava was talking. Her father invites us dinner tomorrow. Formal Welcome from Sharpe Family." Amaya said.

"Oh. Formal dinner." Ray contemplated. 

...

Not long, Ray met Nate and Mike in front of their room.

"Ava's father invites us all for formal dinner tomorrow." Ray said.

"Formal dinner? Man, we don't have formal dress." Nate surprised. 

"We have clothes." Mike grunted. 

"It's different." Nate explained. "Our dress will show if we respect the invitation or not. We need to buy dress. Mainly for the girls."

"Amaya and Zari have no dress. Long time have no new clothes." Mike concerned. 

"Tomorrow we go to city to buy. Don't tell them. They might refuse." Ray suggested.

"I don't understand girl dress. Do you know?" Nate asked Ray and Mike. 

"I don't know." Ray frowned. Mike grunted. 

"We asked Nora to go with us." Nate suggested. 

Ray startled. "No. I want to buy a dress for her. She cannot know."

"You buy dress? For her?" Nate grinned. 

"There are three girls. Two with new dress. One not. Cannot be." Ray gave reasons nervously.

Nate kept grinning but he let it go.

"So how to buy girl dress then?" Nate asked. 

"We go with the boy Gary." Mike said.

"Ok. We asked him. There he is." Nate called Gary. Gary came.

"Do you know about girl dress?" Nate asked. 

"Who do you think I am? Of course I know. Why?"

"Tomorrow we go to buy dress for the girls. Don't tell them. Surprise." Nate said.

"Ok. Now we have a secret brotherhood." Gary grinned looked so proud of himself. 

Mike left them grumbling something. 


	10. Chapter 10

With Sara still in her arm, and the morning sun shine lurking between the curtains, Ava let her thoughts vanish into quietness. She was trained to be in peacefulness instantly. Morning was beautiful and Sara's breathing was soft and easy. Let the next upcoming hours take care themselves. She wanted absorbing the happiness dwelling in the current moment like this.

"Are we in heaven, Aves?" Sara asked snuggling her face deeper into Ava's body.

Ava chuckled kissing Sara's hair, "Our kind of heaven."

"What are you thinking?" Sara asked.

"Morning is beautiful. My mind is calm. You're breathing softly. You are in my arms."

"Is that what in your mind right now? Not about what will happen to us next?"

"And losing this happy moment?" Ava tightened her embrace. "No. I want to be here while it is still here."

"I am worried, Aves," Sara admitted, "of losing you."

"I know, love." Ava whispered. 

....

Randy accosted his wife in her garden. She was tending some bonsai. There were some aromatic scents touching his nostril from some nice white flowers. He put his arms around his wife from her back. "Morning." He kissed his wife head. Pam smiled, "Fresh morning."

"You never told me if you had any boyfriends or not during we were separated." Randy asked after awhile.

Pam turned to face her husband, raising her eyebrows, "Why do you want to know after these years?"

Randy looked shy lowering his head, "Just chatting."

Pam looked at him. He still had part of his teenager tender heart. She smiled and kissed her husband check, "Let it be a mystery then."

Randy looked curious. Pam laughed thinking how Ava had this look too. She had to teach Sara about this.

...

At the farm, they all had worked since very early morning, except for Nate and Ray who just walked out from their room with sleepy faces still. They both looked startled seeing others already busy and fresh.

Nate came to Amaya helping her carrying a wooden box. "Why didn't you wake us?"

"And got disturbed by your not-knowing what to do?" Amaya left him after pointed out the corner for him to put the box. Nate looked at her leaving then put the box down at that place.

Ray accosted him. "They started without us. Tomorrow we should wake earlier." Then Ray left, seeing Nora carrying some bags.

"Morning." Ray greeted Nora, "Let me carry that."

"Morning. Do you know what to do with this?" Nora asked.

Ray looked at some roots inside the bag. He shaked his head. Nora explained it to him, and told him that they had to do this every day. She left him. Nate came to help Ray. "You like her, Ray?" He asked but more like telling.

"What!" Ray tried to deny but then he admitted. "Yes. She has some shine with her."

"You are in love, buddy." Nate grinned. Ray said nothing. 

...

After lunch the boys slipped away to the city. Gary pointed out places to buy clothes. They came inside a boutique then they, except Gary, stunned looking at the fashion dresses. "Which one do you like?" Gary asked them cheerfully. 

"You choose. We wait." Mike ordered him.

Happily Gary walked from one place to another, chippering and suggesting things that others didn't care much about. After a few minutes he took few dresses to show to others. "What do you think?"

"I think they are all good." Ray said.

"Let's pay and get out from here." Mike said.

"Wait. They have different colors. You need to pick it out." Gary told them.

Mike became impatient, "Listen, boy. You pick and we pay."

"Ok. Ok." Gary said and picked three beautiful dresses then displaying to them. "Nora likes color blue." Gary said. Ray took the dress from him. 

Gary continued, "I am not sure about other girls. I think this geen suit Amaya. And white for Zari." 

Mike wanted to take both dresses but Nate took the green one.

"I pay for all." Ray said but Nate objected, "No. I pay for Amaya's."

Mike disliked it, "Zari and Amaya. I pay for them."

"No, Mike. Each of us pay for one girl." Nate said. "To be fair."

Mike grunted but said nothing more.

...

"Ok. Let's go back." Mike said after they finished paying. 

"No." Gary said. "We have to find shoes for them. They cannot wear boots with this dress. Follow me."

Others looked at each other. They weren't aware of it. Once again they let Gary chose the right shoes matching for each gown. Then they paid. They turned to walk to the car but Gary stopped them. "We need to find handbags for them too. Girls need to carry handbags."

....

"Guys, we need to find something for us too. My presents for you all. Please. For you too, Gary." Ray said after they finished paying for the handbags. Gary looked delight. "I know the place." He said. 

At the men wardrobe, Mike, Ray and Nate gathered checking at the display. Gary said, "We don't want to buy the same model and color. We would look like some model or employee in uniform."

Instantly others walked away to separate places.

...

When finally finished doing all of Gary suggestions and met the girls, they felt like they were not themselves. The girls looked at them, confused.

"What happened to you all? You look.... presentable." Finally Zari found the word to describe them.

"I took them to the barbershop, tidying their hair, cleaning their nail. See?" Gary gave explanation showing his nails, smiling wide. Others tried to hide their hands. It seemed that Gary had bullied them somehow. 

Mike called Zari to come and gave the bag his carry, "For dinnertime." He said and left.

Ray and Nate came to Nora and Amaya. 

"This for you." Nate said to Amaya. "Gary helped us." Amaya smiled and took the bag from Nate's hand. 

Ray handed the bag to Nora and said, "For you. For tonight formal dinner. I hope it's suitable."

Nora startled. _Formal dinner?_ She looked at Ray's blushed face wanting to refuse. Suddenly she felt sorry for him so she accepted. "Thank you. You don't have to."

"I am happy to do this." Ray smiled and looked pleased.

...

"Shouldn't we help to prepare for dinner?" Sara asked. They had spent the whole morning talking and drifting asleep. It was already afternoon that time. They were sitting side by side inside the hut after having late lunch. 

Ava calmed her, "All has been taken care. You need rest, sweetheart. You're still pale."

Ava bent down and carried Sara to sit her on her lap. Sara smiled, "You can carry me?"

"Yes, I do. I am strong." Ava answered. It was easier holding Sara like this. She didn't want Sara to be far from her arms. She leaned her back on the chair. "I think we should sit on the rocking chair." Ava said. "I feel like my grandmother nursing me when I was child and got sick."

Sara chuckled leaning her head beside Ava's. "Tell me about your grandmother."

...

The dinner took place at the other side of the house that Sara hadn't explored yet. It was open places with large patio where a white clothed table and chairs were placed. Surrounding were many food stands. Sara was surprised. "It's like a food festival."

"Yes, it is, love." Ava was happy to cheer up Sara. "Father likes Asian food." She led Sara to a food stand and pick some traditional cake. "Try this." She said. 

Sara bited it and chided, "Delicious. Mike and Zari will feel like in heaven."

"We rent them complete with the decorations. They will come to clean later on." Ava explained while eating something like a small meatball.

Randy and Pam came with some food in their hands and eating some.

"They often have food in stands like this in Thailand. In their celebration. We often went and tried every food. And it's for free. They like offering food." Randy told Sara. "I stayed in Thailand for a year."

"I visited it for a few weeks. And we took little Ava there once." Pam added. Ava looked embarrassed to be called 'Little Ava'. But Sara looked at her adoringly.

The front door bell rang. Sara said, "it must be them. I will go to get them." 

"I will be with you soon ." Ava said. She couldn't let Sara be far even for awhile. 

...

Sara opened the door and her smile changed.

Nate in his dark blue suit came inside, hugged Sara and said, "You need to close your mouth some when."

Amaya came in beautiful white dress, "Hi girl, you look surprised. Aren't we pretty?" She hugged Sara.

"Like a princess." Zari came next to her turning around her green gown.

Ray came next with Nora beside him and Gary followed him. "Sara, this is Nora and Gary."

Nora smiled and Garry shook her hand eagerly, "Finally we are face to face. We heard so much about you."

Then Mike came. Sara astonished. "Mike? You look... fabulous. You are all. And you clean your nails."

Sara never saw any of her friends this formal. The boys never been this tidy. 

"Hello, everyone." Ava said walking closer to stand beside Sara. She was surprised too seeing the legend in their formal suit but she said nothing about it. Everyone greeted her. Nora hugged her and said to others, "We leave you all to catch up, guys." She pulled Ava and Gary to follow her.

Meanwhile others were enveloping Sara. "Are you ok?" Amaya asked. 

"I am ok. I left you all only two days. And you all look...." Sara tried to say something. 

"Aren't we handsome and pretty, Sara?" Nate said. "You are not ready yet. We come too early. It seems."

"How are you with Ava?" Ray asked. 

....

Meanwhile Nora asked Ava, "Formal dinner?"

"What? No. Oh do you dress for it?" Ava looked at Nora confused. 

Before Nora said anything, someone greeted her, "Hello, Nora darling. Gary." They all turned and saw Pam and Randy came closer. Ava looked at her parent astounded. They wore their formal evening suit and gown. When did they change? They wore jeans and shirts before.

Nora and Gary greeted them. Randy winked at Ava. Actually he was about to greet the guests when he saw they all were in formal suit. He stepped back and beckoned his wife to see then together they walked fast to their room to change.

"Let's meet our guests." Randy put one arm at his wife back and another at his daughter. Nora and Gary followed.

...

While her parents greeted the legend and chatted surprisingly about Amaya's resemblance with Charlie, Ava took Sara to the hut. Sara seeing Pam and Randy had changed their clothes directly understood. 

Ava searched a gown for Sara. "Mostly it is too long for you. Try this. It is short for me." Ava handed a red gown. Then she searched for shoes. "All is in my size. Too big for you."

Sara already in red gown said, "No need shoes. This gown hides my feet." She smiled. "Beautiful gown."

Ava turned and saw her. "You are beautiful." She smiled and said. "Try this slipper." Then she rummaged more to find a gown for her. She opened her clothes to wear the gown without thinking that Sara was behind her glaring. 

Ava sighed. She remembered that it had been years since she wore any gown like this. It felt weird to step inside it. She found shoes for the gown. She wore both sensing some buried feeling emerging. She stood upright, closed her eyes for a moment, and turned to see Sara. She saw Sara looked her like she was in the dream. She heard Sara whispered very softly, "Kiss me, please." Ava stepped closer then kissed her. 

Sara never saw Ava in a gown and heel shoes. She's so beautiful. The expression in her face conquered Sara's heart.

_Aves, let me die in your kisses._

...

Ava walked with Sara in her arm when they came back to meet others at the side yard. They both smiled and looked happy. Everyone looked at them admiringly as they were really a beautiful couple. Pam and Randy came to them and they kissed Ava forehead. It had been long time since they saw their daughter beautifully dressed. They kissed Sara too.

...

Mike said to Nate and Ray, blaming them, "You forgot dress for Sara." 

Amaya scolded Nate, "You remember Nora. But you forgot Sara."

"No. Ray remembered Nora. I remember you." Nate defended himself. Amaya smiled hearing it.

Mike noticed. He frowned.

"I eat like a queen." Zari said approaching them with a plate full of food.

...

Mike saw Zari stand alone looked full in thought. He came to her. "What's up?" He asked. 

"I got feeling that we all are leaving our childhood, Mike." Zari said. "Everyone is changing."

"That Ray, our baby friend, is in love. Like a man." Zai said pointing Ray with her chin. Ray was talking animatedly with Nora. Gary was listening to him too.

"Amaya and Nate have their own stuff now." Zari turned to look at them. Mike grunted, "That boy." He grumbled looking at Nate who seemed trying to impress Amaya with his story.

Zari continued, "Sara has Ava. Although without certain future." They both looked at Sara who leaned on Ava. They both closed their eyes swaying slowly in each other arms. _Poor Sara._

"And Mike, about Charlie. Is she really Amaya's twin? Ava's father said he will find it out." Zari looked worried. 

Mike gave a thought for awhile and said, "True or not, Amaya has us. Nothing to worried."

Zari smiled hugging Mike, "You are always our big brother."

Mike grunted but he looked pleased.

..

Ava hummed a folksong. She danced slowly following its rythm with Sara closely in her arms. Sara leaned on Ava and let Ava take the lead. Their eyes were closed. Sara's hands were at Ava's back caressing it.

...

Pam and Randy stood side by side looking at Ava and Sara. Randy said, "The Summer house is ready."

Pam considered and said, "I still need Sara to stay here a couple day. She isn't strong yet. She still buries her depression. She doesn't realize it yet."

Randy sighed. "Were you in depression when I left?"

Pam took a while to remember. She said, "Strangely I was not. Your mother helped me." Pam kept silent for awhile and said, "You gave me an idea to let Sara meet Grandma and talk to her."


	11. Chapter 11

The night was late when the legend with Nora and Gary said goodbye to the Sharpe Family. Sara and Ava walked them to the front door. Ava asked for a moment from them. Something she needed to talk to them all.

She stood straight composing herself and looked at them one by one. She spoke heartily with polite tone. The team seemed impressed and listened earnestly and curiously what seemed to trouble her. Sara stepped aside to give Ava space.

"I would like to apologize that I have given all of you much trouble for years. Sara has told me. When I met Sara at Summer Camp, I knew that I want to be with her. I didn't tell her as I didn't want to tie her. It will take years until I can be free to find her. I opened chance for her to be with anyone else."

Ava took a moment for breathing deep. She continue speaking even more gently. "I didn't know that she and you all tried to find me. Thank you so much for that and for bringing Sara here, even though I still cannot promise anything for the future."

Then Ava stopped. She looked at the legend. She saw understanding in Amaya's eyes, and kindness in Ray's. She saw there's something hard still in Zari's face. If she hurt Sara, for sure Zari will be the one who killed her. And she knew that Mike would already punch her if she was a man.

To her surprise, Nate came closer with open arms and waited for her to be hugged, he said, "You are very important for Sara. That makes you become part of us. Welcome to our legend family." She stepped forward. Nate whispered, "At least, buy the girl a nice dress." Then he laughed. Ava knew he just teased her. Amaya was next to hug her with smile, "Sara's happy. We are happy."

Zari came beside Amaya and said to Ava, "I am watching you."

Amaya rolled her eyes to Zari. Ray come closer and give Ava a hug. "Don't worry, Ava. We are harmless." 

"Only you who is harmless. " Zari retorted. But she gave her hand and Ava shook it smiling. It is not easy to win Zari's heart but Ava felt a kind heart in Zari's stiff behavior to her.

"Take care the girl." Mike said. When it came from Mike, it was enough. Mike accepted her. The legend except Mike hugged Sara goodbye. Then they left.

Nora whisphered to Ava, "I will make them understand." Sara already came back to Ava's side. And Gary added, "Don't worry. Gary's here." He grinned widely.

...

Back to the farm, the boys wanted to go to their rooms but Gary asked time from them. They sat on the bench waiting for Gary to speak. Gary said, "I cannot help but notice about Ray and Nora. You all have to know about Nora's father. It's Damien Darhk." 

Gary watched his friends. An understanding and recognizance directly came to their shocked face. Damien Darhk was a well known businessman with suspicious business. Sara's father had many unsolved cases about him that the legend often overheard him wondering about Damien's suspicious business.

Gary continued, "We often introduce Nora without her family name. It is not fair for her. People directly think bad of her when they know. You have talked to her without knowing about her father. You see, she is nothing close to her father's character.

Gary considered a moment before said, "Once our high school friend liked Nora. And Nora's father found it out. He sent his bodyguard to the boy."

"Beating him?" Ray asked with wide eyes.

"We cannot really said like that. The bodyguard asked the boy for fair fighting. Sparing. He agreed. But, the professional bodyguard, fighting with a school boy, it's the same with beating." Gary complained. "And Nora even doesn't like the boy. Now I see that Nora likes you, Ray. If her father finds out, he will be the one who asks you for fair fighting. And, he is a World Champion Fighter."

Ray looked nauseous. Gary calmed him saying, "He will not disturb you here. He respects Grandpa. You are safe as long as you stay here."

Ray looked trouble. Nate looked at Mike, not knowing what to do. Mike considered a moment then said, "I will teach you how to fight. We start tomorrow. Early morning." 

They all looked at Mike.

Gary said, "At least it's a start. You can ask Ava to teach you too when she has free time. She's a good fighter." 

Now they all looked at Gary. They didn't know about Ava.

Gary continued, "Grandpa taught her, also taught Charlie and me. But I am not good. Nora refuses fighting. She has enough seeing his father. I think Charlie will help when she's back. But certainly you start with Mike first."

"Pretty boy also." Mike said pointing at Nate who asked, "Me? Why?"

"You want to be with Amaya. You make Amaya sad, you have to fight me. And I don't like beating who cannot fight back."

Nate looked resigned. Both Nate and Ray knew Mike trained the girls how to fight. They both were there accompanying the girls with reading books. Nate read a lot of historical events. He loved it. And Ray read scientific journals.

Gary seemed pleased. He said, "Good. Grandpa is still in the city until next week. When Grandpa comes back, you all can talk about fighting with him. Sharpe Family all are fighters but they never go for championship. Just for protection."

"I miss Sara." Suddenly Ray said. Nate and Mike understood. In the time like this, Sara would take over and make things feel right again. It felt lost without her leadership manner.

"She's unwell." Nate said. Then he told others that he accompanied Amaya to talk with Ava's mother before they left. Amaya felt worried to see Sara looked pale. Amaya informed Pam that Sara almost didn't sleep for the last couple months since she saw Ava at the hospital. Pam told Amaya that Sara fainted twice the day before. Sara needed sleep a lot and bed rest at least for a week. Then, Pam believed, Sara would be fine again.

...

Before Ray entered his room, Gary accosted him. "Ray, if Nora refuses you, it's not personal. She tries to protect you."

Ray nodded gloomily and thanked him.

...

Very early in the morning, Mike woke them all with his thunder knocks at their doors and his loud voice, "Get up. Now."

Ray couldn't sleep well but he got up fast, washed his face and dressed. Nate was a bit late but he walked out from his room just after Ray. And Gary came too complaining why he should get up this early too. Even the moon was still there watching them.

Mike didn't care.

...

The girls wondered. The boys seemed to disappear the whole morning. Nora said that if Gary was with them, they would be fine. So the girls did the chores busying themselves until lunchtime. Only Gary came with exhausted face. He told them that others decided to work at the big farm.

Nora explained it to Amaya and Zari. The big farm was the main part where the worker worked and stayed. The farm here is actually for vacation, just a small farm. Nora and Gary always worked here but Charlie and Ava often worked at the main farm.

"It was full time job." Nora said. "Many things to do. Need physical strength a lot. And responsibility. They pay well. Daily."

Zari said, "Mike likes hard work like that. But I am surprised that Ray and Nate want too."

"Oh. They want to build their muscles." Gary explained. "They start training to fight."

"To fight whom?" Amaya asked. 

"Ray to Nora's father. Nate to Mike. " Gary said but then winced leering at Nora who was glaring at him. Amaya and Zari looked at Nora, confused. Nora sighed then she explained who her father was and what he possibly would do to Ray. Now the girls understood. 

"Hey, we might only know you for these three days, but we are sure, you are not your father." Zari said and Amaya nodded. Nora smiled, "Thanks, guys."

...

The boys came in the evening and directly searched for food. Hungry, they said. They looked just fine. They all sat and ate, chatting about the big farm. The girls asked Ray how he felt. They told him that they just knew about Nora's father.

Ray said it doesn't matter who Nora's father was. Nora was not her father. She was different. Nora blushed. Ray didn't notice. He said that he didn't believe in fighting but he would train himself just for fun. The girls became more concerned with his answer. Nate asked if the girls also concerned about him.

"What for?" Zari asked back nonchalantly. Amaya scolded him, she said it was good for him to learn how to fight and to work full time. A real work.

Nate sulked. 

...

Meanwhile, that day Sara took a full rest. She began to realize that her apparantly mental weakness was induced by her lack of sleep and malnutrition. She felt that she was getting better from taking the herbal concoction and sleeping well. And of course it was mostly because Ava was there. Every time she woke up, she could feel Ava near her. It gave her confidence.

She often closed her eyes to feel Ava while Ava was sleeping or talking or just sitting and breathing. She started to have courage to enjoy it. _While it is still here, Ava said._


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Ava and Sara moved to the Summer house.

It was just a small house, Ava told Sara the night before. Grandpa made for Ava's father when he got engaged. Grandpa continued building it although Randy went away for six years. When he finally came back and married, they lived there. Ava was born there. 

When Sara saw the house, she was surprised. It was not small at all. _Ava's perception was something she should calculate carefully_ , Sara decided.

The house was two stores with four bedrooms, a large livingroom, a gym, a complete kitchen, a library full of books, garden, and an indoor swimming pool. _How this could be said as small,_ Sara shook her head.

Ava took Sara to the library. She pointed a row of books and said these books she read since she was young that made her decided to be a nun. Sara took interested with those books, all about spirituality, self development, life journey and similar. _No wonder_ , Sara thought. 

"Are you happy to be a nun?" Sara asked. 

"Yes, I am. I like to study about spirituality, about life." Ava answered with some light appeared in her eyes. Sara noticed it. 

They were sitting on a high large sofa, face to face. Seeing Sara became pale, Ava moved forward to reach Sara's face caressing it.

"Hey," Ava said. "I am still here with you."

*

After awhile, Sara asked, "If it is me who wants to be a nun, what will you do?"

"I will be nun too beside you." Ava answered without missing a beat.

"Will you?" Sara stunned.

"Yes. I will. I want to be near you. To be honest, I chose that convent firstly because it is in your city. I wish somehow we would meet." Ava confessed. 

"Aves, do you want me to be a nun with you?" Sara asked. "Because I will try it. I like Sister Gideon."

Ava took deep breath and said, "Your life is outside the convent, Sara. You need to be a doctor. Many people will need you. I will be very selfish to want you for myself only."

Then Ava moved closer to Sara's face whispering, "Do you know that I do love you?" Then she crashed her lips into Sara's.

*

"It is not easy for me too to be parted from you." Ava said after their kissing and Sara leaned her head into Ava's shoulder. 

Sara pulled Ava closer. 

"I am selfish," Sara said, "I want you only for me."

"I will be only for you this Summer. Whatever you have dreamed about us, I will give it to you." Ava promised.

Sara smiled coyly, "Marry me?"

"Do you want us to marry for this Summer?" Ava asked. 

"I want to tie you and refuse to divorce you after this Summer. Will it be fine with you?" Sara asked and moved her head to see Ava.

"And I keep going to convent. You will be alone for the rest of your life if you don't divorce me. Is it fine with you?" Ava asked back.

"Can I forbid you to be a nun if I am your wife?" Sara asked. 

"You can but you will not." Ava said.

"Eh? How could you be so sure?" Sara confused. 

"Because you love me too much." Ava smiled. 

And Sara wondered about it for the rest of that Summer.

*

"Aves, I want to ask your mom how if we marry this Summer then I refuse to divorce you and refuse to let you go to the convent."

Ava chuckled. "It's good idea. She will make you understand."

Sara called Pam right away and to be surprised when Pam said that they could have engagement party next week.

"I will not let her go to the convent. I will marry her and refuse to divorce her. Is it really fine with you?" Sara asked again to make it clear.

"Dear Child, it is fine with us. It is your live, your decision. If Ava agrees to marry you this Summer, we will help for sure," Pam said.

Sara thanked Pam then ended the call. She looked at Ava thrilling. 

"Aves, we will marry this Summer," Sara said but then she frowned, "I feel suspicious. It seems that you all are certain that I will let you go. Tell me why, please."

"I have told you. It's because you love me too much." Ava said.

"Aves, listen to me. I will not release you. I will not let you go." Sara declared it. "I will marry you and will not divorce you."

"Yes. Yes. I listen. Let's have a date tonight. I will cook for you."

*

They have the date dinner in the garden. Ava arranged and decorated it. She refused when Sara wanted to help or to see it before night came.

Ava asked Sara to stay at upstair and not to come downstairs before she invited her. Sara didn't want to upset Ava. She obeyed. It was only two hour of waiting actually. 

There were two joint rooms at upstairs. It belonged to Ava's parent. Ava asked Sara to use her mother's ex room. It was larger. 

Sara spent the time to explore these two rooms and the bathroom between them. She went across to find a study room. Ava said that it was her nursery room. After she was older, it became room for her mother to read or study. Ava moved into room downstairs.

When about the time, Sara took shower and wore a new dress Ava gave to her. 

*

Finally Ava came wearing a gown with the heel shoes. Sara couldn't stop looking at her.

Ava took her hand and led the way to the garden.

The garden looked so beautiful with soft yellow light and white clothed table and white chairs. 

"Do the fairies here come to help you?" Sara asked teasing Ava.

"It's a secret actually. Fairy godmother Nora came with other two fairies. Zari and Amaya." 

"Oh. They came. And where are they now?" Sara asked. 

"They have left." Ava explained. She took Sara to a chair and she sat in front of her.

The food was good. Sara was sure that her friends had told Ava which food she liked. It was all her favorite food. 

After they finished, Ava pulled out a box from her pocket. Sara smiled and spoke before Ava had chance to say anything. 

"Ava Sharpe, how could you ask the girl to marry you at the first date?"

"It is not our first date, love. Our first date was in the Summer Camp. See? And the second was..." Ava tried to remember. "Oh... in the church when we have our first kiss."

Sara chuckled. "So it is the third date. You may ask then."

Ava kneeled in front of her and ask, "Sara Lance, will you marry me?"

"If you must know the answer.... I will answer. Yes." Sara said smiling and gave her hand to Ava.

Ava put the ring on Sara's finger then kissed it. She stood up and led Sara for a dance.

"It's a beautiful ring." Sara said.

"It's grandma's engagement ring. Then it became mother's. And now is yours." Ava explained. 

"And your mom came here to give the ring?" Sara asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, she did." Ava answered smiling at Sara's expression. 

"Actually how many people came here when I was jailed in the room upstairs?" Sara asked with curious face.

Ava laughed. She didn't answer.


	13. Chapter 13

It was the second day they stayed in the Summer house. It meant that it was already five days since they were together.

Sara couldn't hide her curiosity. Every time she wanted to do more than only kissing, Ava would stop and did something else. _Was it because her education in convent that made her unaware of this stuff?_

Sara decided to ask Ava. She arranged her question carefully. 

"Aves, I want to know something about you." Sara said after Ava refused her again. Ava stopped the kissing by getting up to reach a glass of water.

"What is it?" Ava asked, startled by how serious Sara was.

"Do you know about... sleeping together. I mean, about make love?" Sara asked cautiously looking at Ava's face trying to not embarrass her.

But Ava suddenly laughed. Sara stared at her. Ava tried to stop laughing and said, "Sorry. Why do you ask that? Of course I know."

"Because you always altered me. It seemed like you didn't know what I was up to," Sara said and pouted. 

"Oh.. it is because mom forbids it." Ava explained. 

"Your mom forbids?" Sara couldn't believe it. She asked with wide eyes, "Is it like old tradition that we should marry first before we do it?"

Ava bursted in laugh again, trying so hard to stop. "No. It is because you are still weak. Mom said orgasm can reduce your inner energy."

"Your mom talked about orgasm with you?" Sara asked staring at Ava who took a deep breath to stop laughing. 

"Yes." Ava answered. "They told me long before I got curious about it. It became basic knowledge. I lost interest with it."

Sara furrowed her eyebrows. "So, you never wanted to kiss anyone?" She asked. 

"Never, until I met you at the Summer Camp." Ava said.

"You wanted to kiss me at the Summer Camp?" Sara asked, raising her eyebrows.

Ava nodded. Sara asked again, "Why didn't you kiss me?"

"Because it seemed you didn't want it." Ava said.

"I wanted it but I thought you didn't want it." Sara said. They laughed. 

*

"How about you? Have you ever been with...."

Ava couldn't finished her question. She felt a strange emotion exploded inside her.

Jealousy was something that Ava never felt. As the only child in her family, she never needed to feel jealous. And now thinking of Sava had ever been with anyone but her she couldn't take it.

Sara remembered Pam said that Ava would ask this question and Sara should pay attention with Ava's reaction. So she said nothing just watching Ava's face.

Ava became pale. Abruptly she got up and left with tear in her eyes. Sara tried to hold her, "Hey, Aves," she said.

Ava refused Sara to comfort her. She needed to stop this crying first. And she couldn't. She didn't like to lose control. She walked from room to room trying to hide herself somewhere but Sara kept trailing behind her trying to reach her. Then she saw the pool, she walked there and jumped into the water with all of her clothes. 

Sara stunned watching her swimming. 

*

Ava scrutinized herself in the mirror. She had taken shower and dried her hair. Her eyes were still red.

She knew that Sara was watching when she climbed out from the pool and went to her room upstairs. She couldn't look at Sara with this unfamiliar emotion storming inside her heart.

She tried to analyze it. Jealousy is so raw emotion. She didn't like it but she couldn't help to have it.

She took a deep breath. Surrendered.

*

Sara closed her eyes, remembered Ava being very vulnerable. _It wasn't rage jealousy,_ Sara opined. _It was like hopeless, defeated and sweet jealousy._

Sara smiled feeling love appeared. _I fall in love again with her, Sara contemplated._

But it was different kind of love. It used to be fierce love wanting to posses Ava. Now it was like soft and gentle love wanting to protect her.

Sara decided that she liked this kind of love much better 

*

Sara was preparing lunch when Ava found her. Ava came closer and tried to speak. But Sara put a potato chips between Ava's lips and said, "Try this."

"Delicious. Oh, it makes me hungry." Ava said.

"Good. I have made my specialty. Fried rice with omelette." Sara said and put two plates of those on the table.

"Isn't it the only food you can cook?" Ava teased her and started to eat.

"Saying... I can cook rice and boil egg. And I can make sandwiches." Sara replied.

"Once I saw a kindergarten child made sandwiches." Ava informed her.

"You are implying..." Sara glared at her.

"Nothing. Just saying." Ava said without looking at Sara.

*

After washing the dishes, Ava put her arms around Sara and her chin on Sara's shoulder. She said, "Sara, this morning I..."

"You felt jealousy." Sara finished the sentence. "Hey, it's okay."

"I apologize for leaving you alone," Ava said.

"Let's sit in the garden. We talk there." Sara invited.

*

There was a bench with canopy in the garden. They sat there.

"Aves, honesty I never been with anyone else. It's only you from the start. Do you believe it?" Sara asked. 

"You are so pretty and wild." Ava said and argued.

"Wild?" Sara raised her eyebrows and chuckled. "You have to know how my friends when we were still young children."

Sara told Ava that Mike was always there scaring anyone who wanted to get close with them. Ray always made sure they did their homework after school. Sometimes in his house, sometimes in Sara's.

Ray also took them to the library and made them read except Sara.

After did homework, they stayed for about one hour to read. They read for one another although they interested in different subject.

"Nate usually said, 'Listen. Listen.' Then he told us about some battle in somewhere or about Greek goddess," Sara said.

She continued, "Ray would say, 'Guys.' But I cannot retell what Ray said. No one understood. We listened, nodding and nodding until he finished. And Amaya read about animals then told us. Zari likes reading poetry and plays. She would suddenly recite it."

Sara chuckled and said, "I didn't read but I know a lot of books from what they talked about."

"Only you and Mike who didn't read," Ava said.

"Mike read and wrote stories," Sara explained. "Mike sent his stories to magazines and has it published. He still does it."

Ava was surprised about Mike.

"So only you then. What did you do while others were reading?" Ava asked. 

"I practiced Judo or watched television without sound. Mostly Amaya or Zari helped me practice." Sara answered.

Sara continued, "Then I met you." 

Ava kissed her, then said, "I will tell you about books I read, every day, from this day."

Sara sighed. _Of course, she will_. 

*

That night, in Sara's bed, Ava stopped Sara again from kissing her.

She said, "Sara, we have to wait. Only few days more."

Sara whined, "Should we really?"

"Yes, Mom reprimanded me yesterday. I gave her my word. Others listened too." Ava said.

"Who were others?" Sara asked and abruptly sat dawn. She turned on the light.

"Our friends. Nora, Garry, Amaya and Zari. They came to help." Ava answered and sat dawn too.

Sara stared at Ava, unbelievable. "So they know."

"Yes, that we will do it on the eighth day." Ava said.

"No, we will not," Sara decided. 

"We will not do? You don't want it?" Ava asked feeling confused. 

"We will not do until they forget about it," Sara emphasized. 

"You don't want because they know?" Ava asked. 

"Yes." Sara furrowed her eyebrows and pouted.

Ava said hiding her smile, "Okay, we wait until they forget." 

Then she added mostly to herself, "I wonder. It was me or you who lived in the convent for the last three years."

Sara heard, of course, and glared at Ava saying, " Why is it fine with you?"

"It's expected, right? From couple who live together," Ava answered. 

"Then I want to do it right now," Sara replied and pinned Ava down.

Ava turned her and pinned Sara back then said, "No. We have to wait."

Sara laughed. Ava released her knowing Sara only teased her.

Sara sighed, "We wait for another one week then."

*

_Sara would not worry if she knew because at that particular day something happened that made them all were too busy. Charlie arrived._


	14. Chapter 14

Charlie arrived that morning after spending the whole night on the road. Her bandmates took her near the farm and she continued by walking. She didn't want them to disturb the farm quiet life. They just finished Spring tour promoting their last album. She would be free during the Summer.

She felt tired and sleepy, directly she went to the bedroom changing her band outfit then took shower. She met no one. Morning was a busy time for everyone to do chores outside the house. Charlie decided to sleep until lunchtime before announcing her present. She laid her body on the bed gracefully and fell asleep right away.

*

Zari spent the morning fixing the fence at the horse stall. It had done faster than she predicted. She came back to the house wanting to find something to eat and resting. When she entered their bedroom, she saw Carlie sleeping but she thought it was Amaya. She laid beside her looking at Charlie's peaceful face then she drifted asleep.

Charlie stirred not long to see a beautiful girl laying beside her. Charlie recognized her from pictures Nora and Gary took for years. Nora had texted her days ago about the new comers and about Ava's arrival. It meant she would met her twin sister. Charlie didn't mind. She fell asleep again.

*

Nora came back to the house to find Amaya already busy preparing lunch with Mrs. Green. Nora went upstairs to change her clothes. She found Zari sleeping beside... _Charlie? Nora smiled happily._ Nora was fond of Charlie like most of people there. Charlie had an easy manners, cheerful and a good friend. She walked, eat and talked like boys, and she worked and was strong like them too. 

Zari stirred hearing footsteps coming closer. She opened her eyes and saw Nora. She stretched her arms yawning and nudged the girl who was laying beside her, "Amaya, wake up. Time for cooking lunch."

Nora told her, "It's not Amaya. It's Charlie."

Zari startled looking at Charlie who began to wake up. _Oh, really identical twin,_ Zari thought almost couldn't believe her eyes. But when Charlie spoke and walked to accost Nora, directly it was obvious. It's not Amaya. 

"Nora, hey girl," Charlie gave Nora a long bear hug. "Nice to see you. I am awake in this goddess arms." Charlie pointed Zari with her hand. "I don't know that our farm becomes heaven."

Zari glared at Charlie. She did put her arms around Charlie but it was because she thought it was Amaya. "It was a mistake," Zari said.

"It's a very welcome mistake, Hottie." Charlie flirted. Zari looked at Charlie with murderous glare.

Nora saw it, she chuckled and said to Zari, "Don't mind her. She likes flirting. She means no harm. Let's find Amaya."

"Oh, my twin." Charlie said giving a shock for Nora and Zari, then she left. Nora tried to halt her but Charlie walked fast.

*

In the kitchen, Charlie found Mrs. Green and Amaya. She hugged Mrs. Green greeting her cheerfully.

Then she accosted Amaya saying, "Hi, Amaya. Remember me? I am your twin, Charlie."

Charlie was taken back seeing Amaya jumped in shock then stepped back avoiding her. Amaya looked very pale. 

Zari came fast and put her arms around Amaya, "Amaya, it's okay." 

Amaya was shaking in Zari's arms. She said, "Zari. Sara.... Mike...."

Zari looked at Nora who directly understood, "Follow me, we go to Summer House," Nora said.

Then she instructed Charlie, "Find Gary. Told him to pick up the boys to the Summer house."

Nora looked at Mrs. Green who said, "Don't worry. Just take care the girl."

*

Ava and Sara had already waited for them. Nora called Ava before they arrived. Sara took Amaya and Zari to the livingroom and gave them water to drink. Slowly Amaya felt better after taking the water. Sara and Zari were sitting beside her.

"Charlie recognizes me," Amaya told Sara, "It's frightening." Amaya started crying. Zari wiped her tears. 

"She seems to know what happened in the past. I feel lost," Amaya continued, "It's changing everything."

Sara put her arms around Amaya and said, "It's like the world is smashed and fell apart."

Amaya nodded and said,"Yes."

Zari added, "We are here. We face it with you."

Meanwhile Nora was telling Ava what happened and also informing her that the boys would come. Ava understood and asked Nora to help her cooking for lunch. "We better leave them to catch up. We tell Charlie and Gary to help us."

*

Mike, Ray and Nate arrived and took seat in front of the girls. Nora escorted Charlie and Gary to the kitchen.

Sara explained what happened, "You know, it's like suddenly the whole life collapse because now you have twin. It changes every single thing you believe."

Mike understood instantly, and said to Amaya, "Not everything changes. Look at us. We do not change."

Sara caught Mike's thought, "Mike's right. Amaya, you still have us. It doesn't change."

Zari and Ray nodded. "It's true," Ray said, "it doesn't change us at all if you have twin or not."

Amaya looked at Mike gratefully, "Thanks, Mike." Then she smiled at others, and felt relief.

Nate said, "Your smile makes day bright."

Amaya glared at him, "Aren't you glad now there are two of me?"

Nate exclaimed, "Nooo! Of course not. No one can replace you."

Mike and Sara looked at each other and understood it. 

"We will not replace you with your twin. Never," Mike said.

"Don't ever think about it," Sara assured Amaya.

"When we were small kids, it's only you who plastered my wounded knees every time I fell," Zari said, "No one else."

"And you told me how to be friends with frogs. Remember? I used to feel afraid because I read they are poisonous," Ray said.

Nate looked at him astonished, "I didn't know you were afraid of frogs. I often saw you talked to them."

"You talk to frogs?" Zari asked raising her eyebrows. 

Before Ray answered, Amaya said, "I told him if he made friends with frogs, he wouldn't feel afraid. I asked him to talk to know them better."

Others laughed. Ray chided, "I was only twelve."

*

Ava, Nora, Charlie and Garaly had finished cooking. They sat in the kitchen with food in front of them. They decided to give the Legend time. They felt happy hearing laughs bursting from living room. 

Ava looked at Sara from distance and said, "She needs her friends. It's good for her to know that her friends need her."

"Ava, do you think I better go somewhere?" Charlie asked, "Amaya seems to have shocked. I don't want to disturb her."

"You never told us that she's really your twin," Nora accused her before Ava answered.

"Does it matter? Look, it happened long time ago. I saw her in the pictures, she's happy. She has life and friends," Charlie explained, "Let her have happy time without past burdened her."

"Soon or later she and you should face each other and talk. Don't go. But wait until she's ready," Ava said.

"I imagine suddenly I have a twin who exactly looks like me," Gary wondered, "I will forget which one is me."

"I will remind you by punching both of you," Charlie said nonchalantly.

*

"Amaya, if you are not ready to know about your past, no need to force yourself. If you still cannot accept Charlie, it is fine too," Sara told Amaya, "We can wait for years until you get used with it."

"Yes, we can think she is just a new friend like others, like Nora and Gary, no connection with you," Zari said.

"I am not ready," Amaya admitted it.

"So, none of us talk about it or ask anything to Charlie until Amaya's ready," Sara said and looked at each of them. They nodded in agreement. 

Nate suddenly said to Sara, "We missed you, Boss." He grinned. Others nodded too. Sara grinned back saying that she missed them too.

*

"Ray, I know you will have problem with Nora's father," Sara said and looked at Ray's worried eyes, "I'd tell you. You need not to worry. You forgot Nora. She will help you. She will not let her father hurt you."

Ray suddenly realized it too. He looked relief. He smiled widely. Others looked at him and smiled too. Ray became himself again.

"But," Sara continued, "You and Nate still need to practice how to fight. For healthy. So I can beat you both. I don't want to beat the girls."

Now both Nate and Ray looked more frightened with that possibility. 

*

"Guys," Gary said, "I think we need to cook again. We almost eat all the food."

Ava, Nora and Charlie looked at the food in front of them, or the remain of it, to be precisely. Then they looked at one another, grinning sheepishly. 

"I was hungry and am still hungry, " Charlie explained for she ate most of the food.


	15. Chapter 15

They had lunch in the living room, sandwiches and cakes.

Nate took his sandwiches to the library, he wanted to see books there. Ray went with him. Mike ate in the kitchen. _Easy to get more food,_ he thought.

Charlie cautiously approached Amaya and asked if she could sit near her. Amaya nodded. 

"Hi, I haven't introduced myself," Charlie said. Ava looked at her, astonished by her manner. Nora who sat near Ava said to Charlie, "I didn't know you could be this polite."

"I am always polite," Charlie said smiling, "I know you all from the picture. This Sara belongs to Ava. And this pretty is mine." Charlie pointed Zari with her hands.

"What!" Everyone exclaimed together and looked at Zari who was shocked. 

"When the first sight she saw me, she directly laid down beside me and held me in her arms," Charlie said in poetic tone. 

"It's a mistake," Zari protested then looked at Amaya, "I thought it was you."

"It means we are meant to be together," Charlie continued in the same tone.

Zari lost his patience. She put her food on the table then she attacked Charlie with her fist.

Charlie stood up and stepped back but Zari hadn't finished yet. She kept attacking Charlie. Easily Charlie avoided every punch and kicks Zari threw on her. Others only watched them.

"She's fierce," Carlie said in dreamy voice, "Girl of my dream."

*

Gary came and sat near them placing a plate of pastries in front of Amaya and Sara. They took it. Sara gave one for Ava who sat beside her. Then Gary invited them to talk about engagement party. Sara said her family would come.

"Grandpa and grandma would arrived soon," Gary added, "tomorrow morning or late afternoon."

Zari came back and sat beside Amaya. She felt annoyed. She took the pastry and ate it.

"I didn't know you are into girls," Gary said to Zari who coughed hard hearing it. Others widened their eyes waiting for Zari's reply. 

"I didn't know too," Amaya said teasingly. 

"I am not into girls. Why makes you think like that?" Zari asked Gary scornfully.

"You have that vibe with Charlie," Gary said but when he looked at Zari's threatening glare he added, "We are talking about engagement party."

*

"Ava," Nora said, "my dad will come tomorrow. I should meet him. I will leave for one day."

They were still sitting in the livingroom but with full stomach and empty plates.

"I will take them to the town. Zari and Amaya never been there," Gary added. 

"We want to know your town," Amaya said.

Ava nodded and asked Nora, "Will he stay long here?"

Nora's father lived in the city where Sara's family lived. But his daughter lived at the small town where Ava's family lives. He sometimes visited her. Nora never wanted him to know her friends. 

"Perhaps only a couple days," Nora answered. 

Sara listened with uneasy feeling. Damien Dahrk was the name that colored her childhood with her dad abrupt leaving after telling her mom that name, or wary and tiredness in her father's face with unsolved cases under that name, or an officer coming to pick up her father and murmuring that name. But she liked Nora Dahrk. 

*

Ray approached Nora in the kitchen then helped her washing dishes.

"I heard you will meet your dad. Err... do you want me to meet him?" Ray asked.

"No!" Nora almost screamed. Ray was shocked. He almost dropped the plate in his hand.

"Okay. Okay. I will not," he said staring at Nora confusedly.

Nora stared at him back. She was frightened with the idea about her father met Ray. She knew exactly what her father was capable to do. 

*

After lunch, Gary took Mike, Ray and Nate back to the big farm. Charlie went with them. She wanted to talk to Gary's father. She planned to start working there the next couple days.

Nora took Amaya and Zari back to their small farm. Amaya still was quiet. Zari decided to let her be and waited until Amaya wanted to tell her. She needed not to wait long.

That night Amaya told her and Nora. Charlie wasn't there. She wanted to sleep in the barn. Nora said Charlie didn't like sleep in a crowded room. 

"I think I remember Charlie," Amaya said, "I thought it was only an orphanage with other kids. It feels different. You know, the feeling comfortable with familiar faces. I remember there was always a kid slept beside me. It must be Charlie. I thought it was just another orphan kid."

"Then I lost it, the comfortable feeling. Someone took me then another unfamiliar faces came. Many times. Until I met Zari. We always are together ever since and with Mike," Amaya ended it, "Do you remember when we met, Zari?"

"I remember my parents and baby brother. They was killed in car accidents. They were taking my brother to hospital that night. I was left in the house with a neighbor watching me. I was asleep. I think I was about three years old. They told me next morning," Zari said to Nora, "Then like Amaya, I was moved from one house to another, many times. I came first to the farm before Amaya came. The mother told me about her."

"How did you met the others?" Nora asked, "There's no farm near your big city. Where were you before?"

Amaya and Zari told Nora about their running away with Mike. "Mike told us to sit on the motorcycle. Then he blanketed us together and tied us with rope, " Amaya said, "He tied the rope around his waist too."

"We rode many hours until dawn. Perhaps Mike knows which city we were before," Zari said.

"I wonder," Nora said to Amaya, "Why did they separate you and Charlie? Or were you actually in the same orphanage but foster parents only wanted one of you, not both?"

*

Charlie looked at the barn ceiling from a small cot she laid down in the corner. Her mind was busy. She still remembered her parent's faces and their house, her room with Amaya. She didn't like to remember these though. That was over.

She stayed in orphanage until she met Gary at school. Gary took her to this family. When they wanted to adopt her, she refused. She told only to Grandpa and Grandma the reason. She had all similar like that then she lost all. She didn't want to have again just only for the fate to have chance to take it from her once again. 

Grandpa and Grandma understood. They talked to the orphanage to let her stay with them although formally she was still with the orphanage. She told Grandpa and Grandma about Amaya. They tried but were not able to locate her.

Charlie had happy childhood in the farm growing up with Gary and Ava, also with Nora who stayed every Summer. She had nothing to complain about. She wondered about Amaya often if Amaya was happy too.

When first time she saw Amaya's picture, she said nothing to them. But she told Grandpa and Grandma. She saw how well Amaya was, had peaceful life with friends. She didn't want to disturb Amaya with their past. _Not yet._

 _Somehow,_ she thought, _she was glad that Amaya couldn't remember._


	16. Chapter 16

Next morning Gary drove Nora, Zari and Amaya to the town. Charlie decided to go too. She wanted to cut her hair. _So all can differentiate her and Amaya easily,_ she said.

Sara and Ava couldn't go. They would have lunch with Grandpa and Grandma. Pam and Randy would come too. Ava wanted to introduce Sara to her grandparents.

Mike, Ray and Nate had gone for work hours before. 

Nora would have lunch with her father. She decided to take her friends far away from the meeting place with her father.

They accompanied Charlie to a barbershop. Why Charlie chose the barbershop they didn't know. When she finished, others thought that she looked like from army. Her hair was shorter than Gary's.

Then they had brunch in a cafeteria. Nora planned only Gary who took her to meet her father. Others would wait him in the cafeteria.

*

Charlie challenged Zari to make espresso. Others would choose which one they liked. If she won, Zari should go out for a date with her. 

Zari agreed and said if she won, Charlie should leave her alone and made doughnut for her every day during the Summer. _Why doughnut?_ Charlie asked. _My favorite,_ Zari answered.

The owner of the cafeteria knew Charlie. Charlie had worked there. He agreed to lend the place for them. It was not a busy time. Only a few customers were there. Charlie and Zari went behind the counter preparing their ingredients. Both had experiences working as barista. Both were confident to win this deal.

*

Gary, Amaya and Nora watched briefly at Charlie and Zari then they continued talking and eating. 

Suddenly a baritone voice greeted them, Nora was shocked to see her father came and kissed her head.

"Hello, Nora Doll. Gary. Charlie," Damien Dahrk said. He thought Amaya as Charlie.

Nora stood up and said to Amaya, "Bye Charlie." Then she glared at Gary wishing Gary to understand, "Bye Gary."

Nora pulled her father out but Damien said, "Nora, you never introduce me to your friends. I saw Gary's car outside. I thought it's the time to introduce myself." He often saw Gary and Charlie from distance when they picked up Nora.

"They know you. Let's go," Nora said forcing her father to move. 

But Damien already shook hand with Gary who was smiling brightly. Gary looked at their joint hands feeling the hard pressure.

"Your hand is very strong, Mr. Dahrk." He said. Nora pulled her father's sleeve harder and made Gary saw the red tattoo in Damien's arms near the wrist.

Gary said again to Damien, "What a beautiful tattoo. Is it a red dragon?"

Damien pulled his sleeve to show the tattoo. He heard Amaya grasped. He said proudly, "Isn't it beautiful, Charlie?"

Nora was really stressed. She said, "Dad, let's go. No one want to see it." 

But Damien kept talking to Gary who seemed impressed. He said, "It was a birth mark originally. When Nora was a baby, she always cried to see it. So I cover it with a tattoo. A dragon."

"I will force you to change it into a bunny tattoo if we don't leave immediately, " Nora threatened him. She pulled her father harder.

"Okay. Okay. See you later, Gary, Charlie," he said walking out the cafeteria following his daughter into his car. And they left.

*

Meanwhile Charlie who heard Damien's voice and Nora's saying her name to address Amaya, immediately understood Nora's intention to save Amaya and Zari from her father's dangerous curiosity. 

Charlie pushed Zari forcefully into the only-employee door. It has a glass window that the employee could see from inside but the customer couldn't see from outside. 

Charlie held Zari's arm and told her to be silent. Zari felt how serious Charlie was, she dared not to disobey. They both saw what happened from inside. The owner who was behind the cashier wasn't aware of them both.

When Damien showed his tattoo, Zara heard Amaya grasped and also she heard Charlie's. She felt Charlie's body was shaking. She looked something dark appeared in Charlie's eyes. There was no more playful glint or cheerful smile on Charlie's face. 

After Damien left Charlie was still frozen. Charlie seemed not recognizing her when Zari tried to calm her. Zari put her arms to hold Charlie's head on her shoulder. Charlie held her back and cried. 

Zari said softly, "It's okay. He has gone. You are safe."

Charlie suddenly became aware of herself again. She felt embarrassed. She let go Zari, wiped her tears and tried to smile. She said, "I apologize. Let's see Amaya."

Then Charlie left. Zari directly missed her closeness. 

*

Charlie sat beside Amaya. Slowly Amaya looked at Charlie's eyes. Both understood instantly. Amaya had remembered and Amaya knew that Charlie knew more of the story. Charlie asked Amaya, "Are you ready to know?"

Amaya kept silent for a moment then nodded.

*

Gary wasn't aware with what happened to Amaya and Charlie. He agreed to go back and visited Grandpa and Grandma. He wanted to see them too. 

He wasn't aware how quiet Charlie was although she sat beside him in passenger seat. He kept talking about how frightening Nora's father, about the farm and about how Ray would fight Damien Dahrk. He informed the girls that the boys practice fighting every night including him. He made herbal ointments for curing the bruises and he gave it to them.

When they arrived at Grandpa's house, all the Sharpe family and Sara were still there. Gary greeted Grandpa and Grandma then he left to help his mother. Ava introduced Amaya and Zari to her grandparents. 

Charlie told Grandpa that she needed to talk to him. Randy asked if others should leave. Charlie said it was better if they stayed and listened too.

They sat together in Grandpa's family room. Grandpa and Grandma sat in their high and comfortable chairs. Charlie sat beside Grandma holding Grandma's hand. Amaya sat beside her.

Grandma had given them each a chocolate bar and forced them all to eat. Zari liked Grandma instantly and thanked her. She loved chocolate. Charlie ate her chocolate fast. Then she looked at Grandpa to ask permission to speak. Grandpa allowed her.

*

Charly started her story. She remembered that she had a twin sister. And she remembered the time her twin was taken from her. Her mother often told her their name. She was Charlie Jiwe from her mother's uncle name. And her twin was Amaya Jiwe from the uncle's twin sister. 

She remembered her father. She remembered his voice always telling her to lead a happy life. He told her to not worry about the past. She barely understood but she remembered it.

One day her parents said that they would visit her father's old friend and she would live with him. They should be separated. Her father told her to be brave. He told her to not look for them. 

They traveled long time by car. She sat on her mother's lap. She fell asleep. Then her mother woke her. They weren't in a house. They were standing on a street. She was in her mother's arm. Her father came and put his arms around them. He said, "Be brave, Charlie. Remember to live a happy life. Forget the past."

She was crying. She felt that she wouldn't see her parents again. Her mother comforted her until she felt sleepy. She felt their kisses then they handed her to a man.

She thought he must be her father's friend. She saw the man had a tattoo in his arm. She remembered that tattoo. It was the man who took her twin sister. She thought this man would take her to her twin. She felt asleep. 

She awoke in unfamiliar room with stranger faces and different clothes. But she wore the same inner shirt her mother made for her. She felt relief. She touched her chest and she felt the little bag was still there. It was a picture of them all. 

She had to move to different rooms and faces until she arrived at the orphanage in this town, until she stayed in this farm. She told Grandpa and Grandma about this and asked them to tell no one. Charlie looked at Randy and Pam apologetically. They both nodded.

"Today I met the man with that tattoo and Amaya remembered the tattoo too," Charlie said.

They looked at her surprised. 

"Who is he?" Sara asked.

Zari answered, "It's Damien Dahrk."

*

Ava saw her grandparents and her parents looked at one another. Her grandparents kept silent and their eyes kept calm but she felt something serious appeared in their expression. She saw her father straightened his back and started breathing deeply. She knew directly that he felt troubled. Instinctively she tightened her arms around Sara.

Sara who noticed the Sharpes reactions felt Ava's arms tightened. She looked at her and kissed her cheek murmuring that she was here. She caressed Ava's silk hair. 

They heard Amaya asked something. Grandma moved and left the room. 

"Do you still have the picture?" Amaya asked. 

"Yes. I asked Grandma to keep it. It's almost broken. I had it pressed with hard plastic," Charlie said, "I want you to see them. I promise mother."

Amaya couldn't stop her tears. She came closer to Charlie and embraced her. Charlie hold her trying to stop her tears.

Pam took a box of tissue paper and gave some tissue paper to her husband then asked Zari to kept it for Amaya.


	17. Chapter 17

Grandma came and handed Charlie a small white clothes bag. Charlie said that it was much cleaner than the last time she saw it. Grandma chuckled saying that she needed to wash it many times. It was so brown when Charlie gave it to her.

Charlie smiled and thanked Grandma. She gave it to Amaya and said that their mother had sewn it by herself. Amaya took it carefully and opened the zip. She saw the picture with shaking hands. Charlie should hold the picture too.

There was a man and a woman sitting side by side with two babies in each arm. They were smiling at each other happily. The babies looked at their parents. A beautiful family. 

"We were about eight months old. You were at father's arms. I was at mother's," Charlie explained, "Mother looked like us."

Amaya saw her parents smiling, she smiled too. Charlie said to Amaya, "Look at the back."

Amaya turned the picture and saw a handwriting. _Our twin daughters. Amaya Jiwe and Charlie Jiwe._

"Mother wrote it. You were born first. I was born ten minutes later," Charlie informed Amaya.

*

Grandpa said, "Now Amaya and Charlie have met. Charlie has told her part of the story. Do you have something to add, Amaya?"

Amaya contemplated a moment and said, "There's nothing much I can remember. I forgot the tattoo untill I saw it again today. I didn't remember much anmbout Charlie and cannot remember our parents. Amaya is the name embroidered on my baby clothes. I didn't know my name is Jiwe. I used foster family's name. That's all, Grandpa." 

Grandpa nodded.

"Apparently Damien Dahrk has something he did in your childhood. Do both of you consider to find more about it?" Grandpa asked. 

Charlie and Amaya looked at each other considering the possibility. Amaya asked back, "What can we do about that, Grandpa?"

Grandpa answered, "We can ask him."

Everyone, except the Sharpes, grasped with wide eyes. People knew that Damien Dahrk respected Grandpa, but they didn't suspect that much.

Grandpa chuckled seeing their faces. 

"Will he tell the truth, Grandpa?" Zari asked suspiciously.

"We will know when we meet him," Grandpa said nonchalantly. 

Sara looked at Grandpa admiringly. _It's cool to be that old and wise, she concluded._

*

Sara reached for Amaya to be handed the picture. She asked Charlie, "You have the picture and your family's name. Why didn't you go to the police to search for them?"

"Grandpa tried to find Amaya but he couldn't. Now we know, it's because Amaya didn't use Jiwe name," Charlie answered, "I dare not to find my parents. I remember what father told me. I remember the feeling how he really meant it. He seemed worried if I tried to find them."

Charlie sighed, looked at Amaya and said, "If Amaya wants to find our parents, I will help."

"It seemed your father had enemy. He didn't want his enemy to find you both," Sara wondered.

*

Ava took the picture from Sara and looked at its back. There was a small faded ink stamp at the left bottom. She showed it to her father.

Randy looked closely and said, "I know this logo. It's a law firm. I know them."

He turned to see the picture then he shouted, "I know him! He was my friend."

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

He showed the picture to Pam and asked her, "Do you remember him?"

Pam looked at the picture, surprised too, and said, "Oh, it's Anthony."

Charlie said, "That's my father's name. Anthony Jiwe."

Randy and Pam furrowed their eyebrows staring at the picture more closely. 

Randy said, "But it's not Jiwe. It was Halverson. Anthony Halverson."

Amaya and Charlie looked at each other. Amaya confused. What _her_ _name actually was, she wondered._

Randy continued, "Your mother was Beatrice Thompson. Oh, sorry girls. They were both killed in a car accident."

*

Amaya closed her eyes. She felt very tired. She had hope to meet her parents and now they had died.

Grandma, seeing Amaya's face, asked Ava and Sara to help her made some tea in the kitchen. Zari helped them too.

Pam sat beside Amaya to comfort her. Charlie sat quietly staring at the floor.

Randy approached Grandpa sitting beside him and said, "Anthony was a very sensible man, Sir. Something made him decide to use name Jiwe and didn't tell Charlie her real family name. It sounds like a very serious matter, Sir."

Grandpa nodded and said, "Sometimes it's better not to wake a sleeping tiger."

*

After everyone had their tea, Charlie asked Randy about her father. Randy told them.

They met in the university renting the same house with another three students. Anthony studied law. Randy studied business. They both love reading the same type of books and didn't like party. They often ended sitting for hours in the living room surrounded by books. Friends often said that they were the accessories of the living room. 

Anthony didn't like to study law. His father owned a law firm and he loved his father. He had to join the family business. He wanted to go with Randy to Asia but his father was dying. He had to finish his study faster.

They lost contact for years. They met again briefly. Anthony was in a hurry. He didn't know Randy had come back. Anthony promised to visit Randy soon with his wife. But he never did.

Not long some friends told him about the accident. Anthony died with his wife. No one told Randy about their children. Anthony didn't tell much about his wife. Randy hadn't met her.

Pam added that she often met Anthony when she visited Randy. She liked him. He was gentle and smart. She met him again once after Randy left, in the city when she was about to go to study in China. They talked about it. He told her about his fiancee. That time they weren't married yet.

"I am glad to finally find you both," Randy said like it was the first time he met the twin. He seemed very touched. 

*

Amaya and Charlie looked exhausted after listening about their father. Grandpa decided that it was time to rest and to let the matter cool down. He invited all to have dinner at the barn that evening. 

Sara asked permission to tell her father about this Jiwe's matter. Grandpa agreed, also Amaya and Charlie. 

Randy would try to find out about the law firm logo. It was strange to put it at the picture. He knew that law firm was the rival of Halverson law firm. 

They all help Grandma cleaning the place and washing the dishes. Then they left. 

*

At dinnertime, Mike, Ray and Nate were introduced to Grandpa and Grandma. 

Grandpa announced that this Summer they would have Ninja Time. They would be taught how to fight and would be attacked. They would learn to make ointments to cure wounds and bruises. They would have daily schedule to practice and fighting in group.

"Will we have bruises, Grandpa?" Zari asked.

"Better bruises at practice than death at war," Grandpa said smiling at frightened faces in front of him. But they all were thrilled. It would be fun time. The boys went out the whole day, they missed the girls. They decided to stop working at the big farm.

*

That night Damien Dahrk visited Grandpa. Grandpa had called him to come.

Damien talked with Grandpa and Grandma about one hour.

Grandpa were standing for a long time staring at the sky after Damien left. Grandma put her arms around him. They stood watching the night sky in silent.

"Life is always changing," Grandma said, "Some changing are destruction."

Grandpa kissed her forehead then took a deep breath. 

*

Charlie accosted Mrs. Green that night before bed. She asked, "Mrs. Green, tomorrow please teach me how to make doughnuts."


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning while having breakfast, Sara told Ava that her family would come late in the afternoon. 

"Laurel just texts. Dad needs time to find about Halverson family. Dad seemed interested with the case. I don't tell about Damien Dahrk got involved. Perhaps your dad will tell my dad."

Ava was chewing her sandwich and listening with contemplative expression. Sara leaned closer.

"A penny for your thought?" Sara asked teasingly. She caressed Ava's cheek.

Ava smiled and said, "About Charlie and Amaya. Just wonder. You know, Grandpa makes everyone here to be able to fight to protect ourselves. I begin to understand why. To save others for taking revenge."

Sara considered this situation and said, "I believe I want to revenge if someone hurts my family. Don't you?"

Ava spoke slowly, "My family will save what is left. And minimizes collateral damage. But actually I am not sure. It might depend on the situation."

Ava looked at Sara and said, "I have to train you to fight after the party. Grandpa told me yesterday."

"Ava Sharpe, is this one of your kinks?" Sara teased her.

"What? No." Ava blushed. "It is serious, you know."

Sara pecked a kiss on her lips. She said, "today you will meet my family. You will like them. And they will like you."

Ava felt unsure. She said, "I hope so."

Sara smiled. "Don't worry, babe. Do you want us to stay at your parent's or you want my family to stay here?"

Ava answered, "Better we all stay at my parent's house. Grandpa and Grandma will stay there too for tonight's dinner. Tomorrow we have party at the farm. The workers and town people will come to meet you."

Sara winced. "It makes me nervous. Why do they want to meet me?"

"You will be the only daughter in law. There will be no wedding party until our child gets married. It will be years later," Ava said, "of course they want to welcome you."

Sara grinned happily, "You said 'our child'?"

Ava looked at Sara realizing that they never talked about this yet. She said, "If you want..." 

Sara kissed her before she finished saying.

*

Pam Sharpe found her husband sitting in his study, musing something. She asked, "What are you worried about?"

Randy sighed and said, "I just called the law firm Schultz and Sons. The logo at the Jiwe Halverson family's picture belongs to them. Mr. Schultz senior received me and said he has been waiting for my call. He asked if I have already found the twins, and he wants me to come with the twins and a police officer I trust. Why should we need a police officer?"

Pam could not think the reason. She asked, "With whom will you go?"

"No idea."

*

The Lance family arrived a couple hours after midday. Sara and Ava had been waiting for them in the front door. They came inside and met the Sharpes for the first time. Grandpa and Grandma had arrived hours before for lunch.

After showing their room, Sara asked her father about Jiwe Halverson case. Commissioner Quentin Lance said that he need to talk to the Sharpes family about that matter.

Sara told Ava and Ava arrange the meeting in her father's study room. Commissioner Lance would talk with Grandpa, Grandma and Randy.

Sara's mother and sister would join Pam to discuss about the party. Ava and Sara should accompany them. Randy promised that he would inform them about the meeting as much as he could.

*

The Police Commissioner Lance said Sara had told him about Amaya's new finding family. He told them that he knew the Halverson Law Firm because the Halverson Law Firm took care the Malcom Dahrk Co.

He had been watching Damien Dahrk for years. Damien's partner, Mr. Malcom had main company in another city, not in his jurisdiction but Damien's company was in his area.

At the night of Halverson's accident, Damien Dahrk was seen nearby. The police suspected that it wasn't an accident but they had no enough evidences. 

Anthony Halverson had sold his share in Halverson Law Firm two week before the accident. He was leaving his family business. He was reported to have one young daughter. He told his co workers that he would send his daughter to live with his friend. But no one knew which friend he meant. 

_How Charlie ended up to live in orphanage. Why didn't they reported about Amaya?_ Commissioner Lance wondered. 

Commissioner Lance showed them the pictures of the accident with some paper of reports. The case was closed as a pure accident.

Randy looked at Grandpa. Ava had told them that Sara didn't tell her father about Charlie remembered Damien Dahrk taking her away. But perhaps it was not at the accident day. Charlie couldn't remember the date when Damien took her from her parents. 

Randy decided to say nothing. Anthony didn't want his twin daughters to get involved. Randy wanted to protect Anthony's children too.

Now they knew why Anthony covered the twins from their family name or situations. He wanted to save them both.

*

Grandpa suggested to let Charlie see the accident pictures but not Amaya. He didn't want Amaya to have scary memories about her parent's ending. But Charlie might need to see.

Commissioner Lance promised to talk with Charlie in private. 

*

Randy told others about the conversation with Mr. Schultz from the law firm.

Commissioner Lance directly said that he would accompany Randy and the twins to meet the lawyer if Randy trusted him.

Randy looked at him worriedly and said, "it might cause trouble."

But Commissioner Lance said that it was fine. "Amaya is like a daughter. I saw her growing up with Sara and their friends. I want to accompany her. It is the important time for her."

Grandpa and Grandma looked concerned but they said nothing. Randy finally agreed and said that he would make appointments for tomorrow morning.

*

Grandpa and Grandma didn't tell anyone about Damien came to see them. They both thought that Commissioner Lance and Randy were too young to understand the reasons. 

_Perhaps one day they will understand._ Grandpa told Grandma.


	19. Chapter 19

Before dinner, Charlie met Commissioner Lance in the study room. Charlie asked Grandma to accompany her.

Charlie wanted to see all of the pictures but Commissioner Lance only allowed one. He chose picture of the broken car taken from far. He couldn't let Charlie get shocked. Charlie still could see her parent's clothes and bodies with that picture. 

Charlie was crying a good ten minutes. Grandma and the Commissioner said nothing, waiting in silent. 

Commissioner Lance was surprised to see how Charlie really looked like Amaya. He wondered what made them separated without being reported. He had talked again with officer who was in charge with this accident to get information about these twins. But there was nothing more.

The accident happened far from his area of responsibility. That time he got involved because Anthony Halverson took care some of Dahrk's business. His sudden death arose many unanswered questions.

Charlie thanked Sara's father and said that she needed it. She needed the closure of her waiting for her parents to come and take her back home. She waited every day for years. Now she felt better knowing that they didn't abandon her. 

Commissioner Lance asked Charlie to tell him what she remembered about her parents. Charlie told him what she told others but eliminating about Damien Dahrk's involvement. She did it instinctively. She knew that Sara didn't tell her father to protect Amaya. 

Charlie sensed there was something more beyond what seemed happening, something that the elders people had taken care. She trusted Grandpa. 

*

The dinner was organized by people Randy Sharpe had hired. They had been busy decorating the side garden since morning. The food was ready on time and well served. 

Sara was very excited seeing her family blended nicely with the Sharpes. Laurel sat beside Ava and both had been talking and laughing a great deal whatever they talked about. Her mother seemed quite well sharing stories with Ava's mother. And her father was smiling fondly when he answered Grandpa.

She saw all of her friends were enjoying the dinner too. Grandma talked with Amaya and Zari with Charlie listening attentively. Sometimes she interrupted pleading Grandma to not tell the stories of Charlie's childhood that only made Amya and Zari ask Grandma to tell them more.

Sara was surprised to see Mike talked to Ava's father animatedly. She listened for awhile to find out what made Mike talk that much. Mike told Randy about his childhood with Amaya and Zari. Randy listened and asked many questions. He wanted to know what happened to Amaya as he already knew about Charlie.

Finally Sara saw Ray trying to please Nora. Sara knew that Nora liked Ray too. She just didn't want Ray got trouble with her father. Nora ignored Ray by busied herself with food and listening to others' conversations. 

Nate sat beside Sara and noticed too how Ray being ignored. Nate sighed and said to Sara, "Poor Ray."

*

When dinner was about to end, one by one congratulated Ava and Sara and gave their wishes for both of them.

Laurel raised her glass and said that she couldn't think anyone else for Sara. They meant for each other. She welcomed Ava to be part of the Lances.

Randy replied to welcome the Lance Family and said he was happy that Sara and Ava had found each other. 

That saying made Charlie raise from her seat and said, "because of Sara and Ava have found and loved each other, we all meet here in this friendship like family." She raised her glass to Ava and Sara.

Then she continued, "and because of Ava and Sara's love, I find the love of my life too. To Zari, my future wife." Charlie raised her glass but abruptly lowered her body to avoid a glass thrown by Zari.

"Who wants to be your wife!" Zari shouted angrily. Others sipped their drink to hide their grins.

*

After dinner they all moved to the living room where coffee and drinks were waiting for them. Meanwhile the side garden was cleaned fast and quietly.

Sara was really impressed by this well arrangement. She wondered how many weeks of preparation would be needed if the dinner was invited by her family. 

*

They spent the night with talking and dancing. Once Ava sang a song for Sara and continued by Grandpa. Surprisingly Grandpa sang very well. Charlie wanted to sing too but Ava said it was better if she did not unless she sang the Oldies songs. 

Ray had invited Nora for a dance only to have her refusal. Nate accompanied him, tending Ray's broken heart.

Charlie asked Zari for a dance too but only to have Zari punching and threateni her. They ended together in fighting and bickering. 

*

Commissioner Lance startled when Randy told him about Nora Dahrk. Randy assured him that Nora was nothing like her father. 

Nora knowing that she was mentioned and watched accosted the Commissioner and talked with him. Randy helped her talking. 

Laurel joined them and politely asked Nora many questions about Nora's childhood with Damien Dahrk. 

Sara noticing how Nora being trapped came to help her. She put her arms on Nora's shoulder, protecting, and staring at her father and her sister to back off.

Soon Ray and Nate came too, standing beside Nora. They helped Nora answering Laurel's questions. 

Finally Laurel laughed and took Nora's hand apologizing.

Nora smiled. She understood Laurel and the Commissioner.

*

Gary and his parents didn't come. They were busy preparing for party next day. When it was getting late, Charlie told others that they should help Gary. They said goodbye to the Lances and the Sharpes.

Randy had told Amaya and Charlie that he would pick them up early morning to see the lawyer. It would be about two hours driving and they had to be back for the party.

After their friends left, Sara asked her father about Anthony Halverson's case. Laurel wanted to listen too. Grandpa and Grandma had rested in their room. Ava's mother and Sara's mother went to the kitchen discussing about some food and herbal.

Meanwhile Ava and her father eagerly waited for the Commissioner to explain more about the case.

Commissioner Lance considered how much he could tell without breaking any law. Sara and Laurel assured their father that they would not tell others. Ava and Randy said nothing although they paid fully attention to the Commissioner.


	20. Chapter 20

Commissioner Lance started the story by saying that this was as much as he could share. It happened before he got involved with the case.

The police arrested a lawyer and the court closed his company due to illegal business. They found out about this lawyer in their investigation of Malcolm Dahrk, Co. 

This lawyer had a partner, Mr. DeAndre, who was released because of lack of evidence. The police kept watching him. Next they knew that Mr. DeAndre joined his former friend in university, Mr. Halverson, and started Halverson, DeAndre, Co. Law Firm.

After a car accident that killed Halverson's wife and eldest son, they noticed that Halverson, DeAndre, Co. began to take Mr. Malcolm and Mr. Dahrk's small business. 

When Commissioner Lance took over the case, he was still a police captain. He only took Mr. Damien Dahrk's cases although many times he had to get involved with Mr. Malcolm's cases.

He discovered that Mr. Dahrk was untouchable. Some officers who investigated Mr. Dahrk's cases often ended in withdrawal, early retirement or transferred to another province. Some evidences were missing or burnt. Some witnesses disappeared. 

He was busy with other cases when he heard about Anthony Halverson and his wife's death in car accident. Halverson was one of a few lawyers who got involved with Mr. Dahrk. He watched their law firm but not much about their families.

He found out that Mr. Halverson senior had died years ago and his son had sold his share in the company. The case was closed.

"When Sara called me telling that Amaya has twin sister and their father was Anthony Halverson, I stunned. I still remember this cases. And Amaya was practically growing up in front of my eyes."

Randy sighed and said, "I understand that feeling. Charlie was growing up here, close to me. I didn't know she is my close friend's daughter."

"Did you know Anthony Halverson well?" Commissioner Lance asked Randy.

Randy told him about their friendship back in the university. 

*

Sara listened to Ava's father and watched how her father and her sister became serious with curiosity. 

She hadn't told Laurel about Damien Dahrk's closeness with the Sharpes family. She began to notice that her father and sister had law enforcement mindsets while the Sharpes felt more humanity in their righteousness. None of the Sharpes mentioned that Amaya and Charlie recognized Damien Dahrk got involved in their separation. 

Sara knew that her father would interrogate the twins if he knew and perhaps would disturb Grandpa too.

It was just a job for her father, a case, although it was a very big and important case. But it was other people life, and their peaceful mind would be destroyed by interrogations. _Or is it more important?_ Sara couldn't decide. Although she preferred to let everyone live with their decisions but she knew her father should do his job duty.

 _I am happy that I will be a doctor, not a lawyer._ Sara thought. 

*

Sara's father knew that he was watched by his youngest daughter with speculative eyes.

Commissioner Quentin Lance always knew when his youngest daughter hid something. He never asked or forced Sara to tell him. Usually Laurel would explain.

When Sara was fourteen, Laurel said that Sara was in love with a volleyball girl that was why Sara insisted to go for Volleyball Summer Camp. After three years with the same Summer acamp, Quentin wanted to know more about the girl. Laurel said she was a farm girl.

The next summer after that, Sara and her friends wanted to travel. Laurel said that Sara was searching for her girlfriend who was a nun somewhere. Quentin raised his eyebrows, "A nun? Sara's girlfriend is a nun? She has finished with the farm girl?"

"No. The same girl. She wants to be a nun. She doesn't tell Sara where she's studying," Laurel explained. 

Quentin shook his head worrying about Sara's heart that had high possibility of being broken. He contacted his friends in every city Sara and her friends stayed to watch over them. All of them said that they were good kids, always visiting churches. 

This summer Sara wanted to visit her nun girlfriend's family. Laurel explained that the girl had been out from convent. Laurel also said that the girl was in their city along time while Sara was traveling to many other cities looking for her. _Poor Sara._

And only after a couple days leaving the city, Sara told them about the engagement. Quentin missed the old days when parents got involved in arrangement not only being invited. At least he was invited formally by Randy Sharpe. 

He had called the sheriff nearby to inform that he would come. The Sheriff already knew about Sara although he didn't know that Sara's father was a big city chief of police. The Sheriff said that the Sharpes family was a respectable around here.

Quentin felt relief. At least Sara would be safe with a respectable farmer family.

When they reached the Sharpe's residence. He stopped his car far from the gate. His wife looked at him. Then they both turned to look at Laurel who sat at the backseat with her big astounded eyes. It was not a house. It was more like a big mansion. Quentin began to wonder who the Sharpes was.

He became quite to like them. Ava was a polite girl with clear and honest eyes. Randy was a soft manner guy that reminded him to his high school mate who often got bullied. Pam was a sensible woman. And the pair of old grandparents were kind and friendly. 

But still his police's instincts was triggered. This family was hiding something.

He was smiling though, listening about Randy was a monk in Asia before he came back to marry Pam. It seemed his in-law to be lived in a fairy tales with supportive family and easy life.

Quentin had met many criminals with soft manner like Randy Sharpe. These gentle people could do harmful if they were conditioned to be; sometimes because of being trapped and cornered; sometimes to protect their beloved ones. 

No, he didn't believe in fairy tales. He thought that no police officers believed it after seeing too many crimes. 

But when he saw how soft his youngest daughter looked at her fiancee, suddenly he wished very much that, this time, let the fairy tale be true for the sake of his daughter's heart.


	21. Chapter 21

In the morning, Sara found herself waking up besides Ava and Laurel. She remembered last night they accompanied Laurel to her room and kept discussing the Anthony Halverson's case. Then they were too sleepy to go back to their room.

It was still early morning, Sara decided to let Ava and Laurel sleep for a couple more hours. She stared at the ceiling and started wondering about Charlie and Amaya's life. Sara felt how lucky she was to grow up with a complete family.

 _And Ava too,_ Sara turned to look at her and smiled fondly. Then she frowned remembering that the Sharpes kept information about Damien Dahrk from her father. And she was loyal to them instead to her father. And her father was a police officer who in charge of many Damien's cases. Sara sighed. 

_It was because of Grandpa's charismatic figure she conceded._

"I can see your mind working," Ava said suddenly then she yawned rubbing her eyes.

Sara startled but before she said anything, Laurel replied, "She was thinking where to spend your honeymoon."

"I wasn't thinking about honeymoon," Sara complained. These two seemed starting to gang up against her.

"You needn't to worry about that. It wil be splendid, beautiful place, cozy weather and..." Ava said.

"And a lot of sex," Laurel continued.

"Laurel!" Sara chided, throwing a pillow to her sister.

Ava laughed. 

*

Meanwhile Commissioner Lance and Randy Sharpe were on the way with Charlie and Amaya to the town of Mr. Schulz Law Firm. Mr. Schultz senior had agreed to meet them first in the morning. 

Charlie and Amaya were sitting at the back seat. They felt nervous. Mrs.Green had prepared some sandwiches for them but none of them were able to eat anything. They were about to find out their lost parents' legacy. 

*

Mr. Schultz senior received them at a small but exclusive meeting room. Randy Sharpe and Commissioner Lance sat at each side of him while Charlie and Amaya sat in front of him.

Before started, Mr. Schultz asked Commissioner Lance if he agreed to get involved in this matter without any objections. 

The Commissioner said if this matter was something the police should know, he agreed.

Mr. Schultz told them briefly about Mr. Anthony Halverson came to see him to convey legal matters for his twin daughters with Mr. Randy Sharpe as their guardian. 

Mr. Halverson asked Mr. Schultz to wait for Mr. Sharpe to come to him with the daughters and a police officer, and not to find them.

 _It was not unusual for a certain client to have their own personal settings like this_ , Mr. Schultz explained to his attentive audiences. But he did not know that it took fifteen years. He had perceived from Mr. Halverson's gesture that it would be much faster.

Anyway, finally they were gathering completely, Mr. Schultz said. He handed a large brown and thick envelope to Randy Sharpe. It was still closed tightly. Mr. Schultz gave Randy a scissor to open it.

Randy opened it and found a thick white envelope with his name on it. He opened it and find a letter and a smaller envelope addressed to Mr. Schultz. Randy gave it to Mr. Schultz who opened and read it.

Randy read Anthony's handwriting.

_Old Chap, when you read it, it means you have received my letter, found my twins and with a police officer all of you are in Mr. Schultz's office. And sadly, it also means that both my wife and I are no longer alive._

Randy put out his handkerchief and sniffed. He reread again in confusion. He hadn't received any letter from Anthony. He continued reading. 

_There is a key I put inside the large envelope. Find it and directly give to the police officer with the number. You write the number of our meeting place. It is only you who knows it._

Randy startled for awhile then remembered. He smiled. It was their private joke as they always met at the same time every night. It was at 8.30 PM until 11 PM. 

Randy took out his paper note from his pocket and wrote the numbers 83011. Then he searched and found the beautifully crafted key. He put the key and a paper with the number in front of Commissioner Lance who did nothing but stared at him. Randy said nothing. He read again.

_Then, please, forget about that matter. Do not ask them. Mr. Schultz and the police officer will take care the rest. I don't want you to get involved any further._

_Please take care of my twins. I will explain more to you again after I meet Mr._ Schultz _. He had agreed to take care this matter._

_Please tell my twins to lead happy and fruitful lives. Do not try to find out about what happened to us._

_I have changed their birth names become Jiwe as my wife's great grandmother's family name. I want them to use it always._

_I will explain more. Thank so much, Old Chap. I miss our time back at our dormitory. I miss our discussion. Perhaps, and I hope you will, you can tell my twins about our time there._

_My wife is writing letters for both of the twins. I will write for them too._

Randy wiped his eyes many times with his dampened handkerchief. He sighed. What happened to the letter Anthony promised to write for him.

He looked at the date of the letter. He would find out when the accident happened. Perhaps Anthony had no time to write again.

*

Charlie and Amaya sat side by side looking at the three older men one by one, trying to understand the situation.

Obviously Commissioner Lance tried to understand too. He did not touch the key and the paper Mr. Sharpe had put in front of him. He scrutinized Mr. Sharpe's face then Mr. Schultz's. 

Mr. Sharpe was also very obviously touched by the letter. He made his handkerchief damp. He had a smile though in his teary eyes and expression. 

Mr. Schultz read the letter seriously, staring briefly when Mr. Sharpe put a key and a paper in front of Commissioner Lance. He continued reading and contemplating.

Finally he did something with the monitor in front of him that caused his assistant to come with a man. Mr. Schultz introduced him as his son, Mr. Schultz Junior.

Mr. Schultz senior invited Commissioner Lance to take the key and the paper then followed him out of the room. He waited the Commissioner at the door. 

Mr. Schultz said that the room was monitored and everything was recorded. Commissioner Lance took the key and the paper then walked leaving others. 

*

Mr. Schultz Junior was like her father, had a prim and solemn expression when he talked about Anthony's will. He said the amount of monthly allowances for each of the girls until they were twenty one years old. He smiled though when he saw the twins' eyes widened. It was a very big sum for them.

Randy was happy too for the twins. He was certain that Anthony would never neglect his children. Anyway he had decided to take care of the twins whether they had allowances or not.

*

Meanwhile Mr. Schultz was explaining to Commissioner Lance the importance of this matter and gave some suggestions for the Commissioner to do.

Then they both went by car with Mr. Schultz's driver to an old building. It was an old bank with the safest and secure underground to deposit valuable belongings.

Mr. Schultz said that the deposit only could be put and taken once. And the contract lasted for fifty years. 

*

Randy remembered the large brown envelope and looked inside it. He took away some documents. _The birth certificates of the twins._ Some handwriting papers, it seemed like the letters for the twins that Anthony had mentioned about.

Randy gave that large envelope with whatever it contained to Charlie who sat beside him.


	22. Chapter 22

The engagement party took place at the big farm. Some villagers came early to decorate the large barn with the workers and the Greens Family. Sara was impressed by the big and tall building the barn was. 

Everyone who came seemed to bring some food with them. The empty long table started to be full with local food. Zari looked very happy with the variety of food. Mike, Nate and Ray had already helped themselves with the scrumptious pastries.

Charlie had made donuts for Zari before she left. Zari ate it without looking at Charlie. She didn't want to get confused how that big grinning face and sparkling eyes started to trouble her heart.

Ava explained that bringing food was their local tradition. When the Sharpes celebrated something at the big farm, people fro the town and village would like to come and help. They would be offended if the Sharpes hired people to manage the celebration and the food instead of their helps.

Sara wore an old fashion outfit that, as Ava said, belonged to Grandma. Ava's mother wore the same gown in her engagement party with Ava's father. They fixed the gown to be fitted with Sara. 

Ava said, "The gown is an announcement. Now for people here you are the Sharpe. Don't startle when someone calls you Mrs. Sharpe junior or little Mrs. Sharpe. They called my Mom Mrs. Sharpe since their engagement party and kept calling her like that although she broke up with my dad."

But Sara liked it. She liked to think a marriage with Ava. Although this gown felt weird like she was in the last century party. Laurel was busy taking Sara's pictures with that outfit. 

*

Sara saw her sister and their mother were walking out of the barn. They seemed alerted. She followed them.

At the park yard of the barn, she saw her mother talking to two men. Sara recognized them. They were her father's attendants. _What are they doing here?_

Not long Laurel and their mother came back and caught Sara. Laurel told her that their father had summoned the attendants to pick him up at the Sharpe residence. People at town showed them the way to the big barn. But their father had not come back yet.

*

Randy Sharpe, Charlie and Amaya were in their way back.

Commissioner Lance had called Randy and asked them to go back first. He would followed later. Some police officers would take him to the Sharpe's residence. 

At the back seat, Charlie and Amaya had read and reread their parents' letter. They found some pictures of their parents and both of them. They told Ava's father about the letters and what their parents said. 

Randy was happy for them. He had been thinking about the missing letter. He would search for it. Someone might keep it unknowingly or, he resignedly had to admit, Anthony had failed to write it.

But at least he should try to find it.

*

Commissioner Lance had come out from the bank and parted from Mr. Schultz. 

They had entered the bank to the underground deposit rooms. When they reached the rooms, Mr. Schultz said the Commissioner should go alone. Whatever in the deposit box here would legally belonged to the one who had the key and the number. Mr. Schultz could not get involved any further.

Mr. Schultz said that there would be a small box to be carried away. Once it was opened, it couldn't be closed again. He advised the Commissioner to open in in his head quarter and in front of his trusted colleagues. To open it the Commissioner needed another number from Mr. Randy Sharpe. 

"Ask Mr. Sharpe, when the last time he met Mr. Halverson," Mr. Schultz said. Mr. Halverson had given instructions very detail in his letter to Mr. Schultz. 

Now Commissioner Lance was with the box on the way back to Sharpe's farm. Two officers called by Mr. Schulz were escorting him.

*

Grandpa and Grandma arrived with many people accosted to congratulate them. They smiled gently like always. 

Ava and Sara came near them. Grandpa introduced the people one by one to Sara. There were some doctors and the head of hospitals. When Grandpa said that Sara would be a doctor, they invited Sara to work with them. Sara smiled and said she would consider that.

Sara introduced her family and friends to people there. Now they were waiting for Randy and Sara's father to come before they could announce the engagement formally.

*

Sara saw that Nora blended smoothly among the people. People knew Nora's father but Nora literally grew up in front of their eyes since she was born. _And Nora is under Grandpa's wing_. _That means a lot,_ Sara concluded.

There were some young people talked with Nora and Gary. Ava said they were their classmates. She took Sara to meet them. Sara beckoned Zari and others to follow her.

They recognized some of Ava's friends as they met them at volleyball camp. They said they were glad that finally Ava engaged with Sara. Ava had driven them to death, training very hard so they could have matches all over the region and made Sara come to see them.

Sara raised her eyebrows, surprised. Looking at blushing Ava and asked, "Did you?"

"She did," Gary answered helpfully, "She made me come to take your pictures."

"Gary!" Ava complained him.

"I am glad that you did," Ray told Ava, "That made me met Nora."

Nora tried to hide her blushing face.

Sara stared at Ray and asked, "Ray, once again, tell me. Why didn't you tell us that you knew someone taking our pictures?"

"She took pictures of the match, and other people too. Then she turned to take ours. I didn't know she wanted to take your pictures for Ava," Ray explained again. Amaya already asked him. 

"You didn't tell me that you like a girl," Nate said in hurtful tone.

"I thought I would never see her again," Ray defended himself. 

"If you told us, we would help you to find her, you know," Zari scolded him.

Ava's other friends looked at Nora and Ray then they looked at one and another, sighing. They remembered their schoolmate who liked Nora and had to spar with her father's bodyguard. 

Mike grinned and said, "He was too shy, too afraid to meet her. He would be fainted."


	23. Chapter 23

Commissioner Lance arrived at the big farm just a few minutes after Randy and the twins. His attendants directly accosted and greeted him. He took the box and put it inside their car.

The officers who escorted him said that they would wait until he left. They stayed to guard him. Commissioner Lance wondered what Mr. Schultz had told them. He had asked but it seemed they did not know for sure. They just used to obey their senior who answered Mr. Schultz's call.

The Sheriff and his deputies greeted Commissioner Lance and ushered him inside. Not many high rank police officers had come to their town. In fact it was the first time. They were glad to have him with them, also his daughter soon would be part of their lives.

*

Randy had spoken briefly with Grandpa and Grandma about the meeting with the lawyer. Then, to tge people who attended the party, he introduced Amaya and Charlie as his old friend's daughters. He was appointed as their guardian. 

He also told others that Amaya would be a veterinarian soon. The two town veterinarians accosted Amaya and welcomed her to practice in their city. They were happy to have a fresh face working with them. 

*

Commissioner Lance accosted The Sharpes who gathered with his wife and daughter. He hugged his family briefly answering their worried eyes, "Everything is fine but I need to go back earlier."

Seeing all of the couple's fathers had arrived, Grandpa then made announcement of the engagement and introduced the Lance's to the people.

*

Meanwhile Zari, Mike and Nate approached Amaya who hugged them happily.

Holding Zari's hand, Amaya said, "We are rich now. There's monthly allowances from my father. It's enough for all of us." She said the word 'my father' with wavering voice. Others noticed it.

Then she added, "When I am twenty one, it will be much more. We can build house." Still holding Zari's hand, Amaya reached for Mike's hand holding it and said, "We can live together at last in our own house."

Zari hugged Amaya. Mike smiled and mumbled that he was fine living anywhere but both Amaya and Zari needed proper house. He will gladly help them to build one.

Nate uttered that he absolutely would help too. Amaya smiled, but Mike glared at him, frowning. Mike knew that Nate was a good person and truly loved Amaya but he felt that Nate was still like a boy, not a man yet. He was worried that Nate could not be dependable enough for Amaya.

Amaya said that she wanted to have a clinic or small hospital for animals with a house beside it to live together with others.

*

Charlie listened what Amaya said and admired the closeness of the friendship. Amaya directly shared her money and called it as theirs, not hers.

Charlie promised, "Amaya is my only living blood. I certainly will help her to build house and animal hospital. And needn't to worry about my future wife. I will support Zari."

Zari yelled at her, "For the last time, who wants to be your wife?"

Charlie grinned and wriggled her eyebrows playfully. 

But this time Zari was not alone. Suddenly Mike and Amaya turned to scrutinize Charlie, even Nate looked at her curiously. Charlie gulped quietly and straightened her shoulders then facing them earnestly. 

"Do not play Zari," Mike reprimanded Charlie. 

"I do not play her." Charlie convinced Mike.

"If you are serious with Zari, talk to her. Ask her out properly." Amaya emphasized.

Nate nodded and added, "Not only joking like that."

*

Zari smirked gladly that her friends not let anyone only flirt and dally with her.

"Zari, do you want to go out with me on a date?" Suddenly Charlie asked and stared at her with eyes pleading her.

Now all of her friends turned to look at her, waiting for her to answer. Zari felt like a mouse trapped in a corner by a cat, trying to find a way out. "I... um..." She spluttered. 

Mike frowned and said comfortingly, "No one forces you."

"Hey, guys," Laurel approached them. Zari felt relief immensely. Happily she paid attention to Laurel.

*

Without realizing what had been happening, Laurel told them that her father should go back with one of his officers. Laurel and her mother would stay a little longer and go back with another officer. 

Then they walked with the Sharpes to say goodbye to the Commissioner.

Mrs. Green, knowing that Sara's father could not stay long, put into containers some food and pastries enough for a dozen people, and told Gary to hand them to the police officers at their cars.

The officers would certainly not feel hungry. Mrs. Green would never allow anyone became hungry if she was around. 

*

Laurel and her mother stayed for another couple hours then they said good bye and left, escorted by an officer.

Sara felt sad seeing them leaving. She wanted Laurel to be with them this summer. She hugged Laurel long time. Ava hugged both of them. She felt close with Laurel although just met her for couple days.

Randy had asked Laurel to stay for days and he would drive her home, or she could stay there the whole summer.

But Laurel wanted to help her father. She just had her license to be a lawyer. She needed to learn more and the Commissioner seemed in the beginning of a new case. Laurel was eager to follow the case each step. She would plead the Commissioner to permit her.

*

Watching her mother and sister leaving, Sara and her friends felt lost. They used to have Sara's parent and sister among them. _But hey,_ like Ray uttered cheerfully, _they would see the Lances again after summer_.

Pam put her hand on Randy's arm, questioning his grim expression, "You feel something. What is that?"

Still looking at the car moving farther, he said that he felt darkness approaching them. "Perhaps it's nothing."

*

They went back to the small farm not long after, leaving the people to continue the party. Some villagers would help Mr. Green to tidy the barn later on.

Grandpa told Randy and Pam to follow him back with Grandma. They needed to prepare this summer for Ava's friends. Also Grandma wanted to know more about the twin's parent.

The young ones decided to usher Ava and Sara to the summer house and continue the party there.

Gary asked his mother to let them take some food. Mrs. Green gladly warped some boxes of food for them. How could no one get obese living near Mrs. Green, people did not know. Perhaps because there were many hard works too.

*

In Ava's Summer house, they were gathering in the side garden.

Nate and Ray had carried some sofa and chairs from the living room. Gary took the fans outside. That afternoon was a bit hot. Ava told them that they could swim if they liked. 

Mike had rummaged the refrigerator and took all cold drink cans outside. Then they settled down.

Amaya and Charlie told other about the meeting with their father's lawyer. They shared their parent letters and pictures. 

Ava became eager scrutinizing the letters. Sara asked why Ava looked interested with the letters. All seemed like father's advices and mother's journal of pregnancy and the twin's early months. 

"Perhaps there's some clues," Ava explained. 

"Clues of what?" Sara asked.

Others waited for Ava's answer but Ava said she did not know for sure.

"Just to understand their situations that time," Ava contemplated. "They had prepared all of this, like knowing that they would die soon. Oops, sorry." Ava apologized the twins. 

"We know that. Your father let us read our father's letter for him," Amaya replied, calming Ava. 

"But there's a missing letter," Charlie said then she explained that Ava's father should have received another letter, perhaps by post, to find Amaya and Charlie. But the letter has never arrived so he did not know about the twin.

"Let each of us read and search the letters and pictures," Sara suggested, "Perhaps we will find something."


	24. Chapter 24

Ava flipped cautiously the journal of the twin's mother.

Mrs. Halverson had wrote eloquently how they were excited to know they would have twin daughters. She described the progress each day, the examination of the doctor, the first kick she felt from one of the twin, and how she and her husband prepared the twin's cribs and the nursery room. 

Sara who leaned on Ava's shoulder to read with Ava, wiped Ava's tears and kissed her wet cheek. She had change her outfit, thankfully. Now with more comfortable tshirt and jeans, she sat holding Ava in her arm.

Ava kissed Sara's head and sighed. She put the journal on the table. 

One by one others did the same. They sighed, watching those documents and photos laying on the table in front of them. Each wiped their tears quietly although Gary openly sniffed and rubbed his nose with his handkerchief. 

No one could say anything. No one dared as tears would certainly fall down if they started to state their feelings. 

It was so beautiful family. The mother and father happily prepared the birth of their twin, capturing each moment on pages, wishing to tell the twin when they grew up.

The twin finally knew after almost twenty years later. They had been grown up without knowing how their parent loved them this much, and without being nurtured by these lovely parent.

*

"We can visit their cemetery. Or find their house," Mike suggested. 

Others looked at Mike, like always Mike was full of surprises. Charlie and Amaya were brightened with the suggestion. 

"Splendid, Mike. But how? We don't know where." Amaya furrowed her eyebrows.

"Ask Sara's father." Mike answered.

Sara raised her eyebrows thrilled by Mike's solution. He was right. Her father could find the place.

"I will tell Laurel to ask my father. There must be a record of it." Sara's voice sounded very excited. "Then we will go together."

Ava said with bright eyes, "My father will want to go with us. But he will cry a lot, more than any of you."

Others smiled fondly remember him. Ava's father was a soft heart man. They liked him anyway.

*

Amaya wiped her eyes. She took a photo and showed it to Ava. Someone had took a picture of Randy Sharpe and Anthony Halverson in a room, both was reading and unaware being captured by camera.

Amaya said, "I believe your father wants to keep this. I will give it to him if Charlie doesn't mind." 

Charlie agreed. Randy Sharpe remembered their father more than they did. He missed his friend a lot.

*

"I can research about your family's law firm if you two don't mind." Nate looked at Amaya and Charlie waiting for their responses.

He added when both the twin could not decided and just looked back at him. "There must be someone who remembers your father and knows about you both. Secretary or assistant. Or neighbor."

"That's good. I can help talking with people," said Ray cheerfully, "But of course if you two agree." Ray looked at the twin.

"Me too." Garry added, grinning. "We could be the trio detectives, solving the mystery of Halverson family." 

Some of his friends rolled their eyes. Some raised their eyebrows. Some only stared at Garry. But all decided to say nothing.

*

Zari said, "Did you guys notice? It seemed, at first Amaya's mother had wishes taking care of her babies until grown up, but then her writing changed, like saying goodbye."

Ava took the Mrs. Halverson's journal again. She nodded, "Zari's right. Something must happen that changed it."

They all scrutinized the letter and the journal again. 

*

After awhile Sara said, looking at Amaya and Charlie, "We are ready to help you. But only if you both are okay with it. You both want to know more about your parent, or not?"

Charlie remained silent. Amaya scrutinized her twin's face. She asked, "What are you thinking?"

Charlie took their parent's wedding's photo, showing it to Amaya, and said, "They didn't want us to look back at the past."

Sara contemplated, "It could be understood why they didn't want you both to know. But I am still curious how Damien Dahrk got involved with this."

Nora stiffened. Sara realized it too late. Abruptly she tried to apologize to Nora, "Sorry. We know you are not your father."

"What do you mean? How can you know my father has something to do with this?" Nora asked Sara.

Before Sara could answer, Charlie responded Nora's confusion by telling her the story about Damien's tattoo that she and Amaya had recognized. 

Mike, Ray, Nate and Gary had not heard about it. They listened attentively to Amaya and Charlie.

*

Suddenly Mike sat straight and asked Ava for paper and pencil. Ava went to pick some for him.

Mike drew something on the paper. Others watched him silently, too startled with his serious and uncharacteristic manner.

"The tattoo. Is it like this?" Mike show his drawing to Charlie and Amaya.

Gasps were heard from Charlie, Amaya and Nora.

Garry nodded, "It's a good drawing, Mike. It is precisely like this. Only with reddish color."

"Mike," Amaya urged him, "How can you know? Have you met him?"

Mike took a long breath before saying, "It's very weird."

*

Mike said nothing for awhile. He seemed to recall from his memory of past event. Then he turned to talk to Amaya and Zari.

"Do you both remember when we ran away from the farm?"

Zari and Amaya nodded. Mike continued speaking. 

"The man who helped me has this similar tattoo."


	25. Chapter 25

Meanwhile at the Grandpa's house, Randy just hung up the call from Commissioner Lance.

The Commissioner had called him twice. First was to ask the date Randy met Anthony Halverson for the last time. Randy remembered as it was a day before his wedding's anniversary. He was about to pick up a gift for Pam when he met Anthony. 

Randy asked Commissioner Lance to tell him what was inside the box, although he knew Anthony didn't want him to get involved. 

The Commissioner considered that it was fair for Randy to know as everything was happened because of his connection with Anthony Halverson.

The Commissioner opened the box under the witnessing gazes of his colleagues. They were surprised and excited to find that it contained evidences of the illegal business of Malcolm Dahrk Co. They scrutinized the document voraciously. 

The Commissioner told Randy about it and said that Halverson himself would be arrested with this evidences as his law firm got involved and his signature was everywhere. 

*

Slowly Randy hung up the phone with sadness. Grandpa, Grandma and Pam were there listening too 

_Anthony was a good man. There was something forced him to help such illegal matter._

Randy still trusted his friend. He told others his opinion.

He told them too how he felt very uncomfortable about this matter.

"It seems like something sorrowful about to happen." 

Pam agreed and opined, "Malcolm will never surrender easily. He will fight to prevent the evidences go to the court."

"I am worried about the Lances." Randy said looking at Grandpa to have any solutions. But Grandpa looked pensive, musing all possibilities. 

*

At Summee House, Mike told others about his escaping from the farm with Amaya and Zari. 

He went first by bus to find a suitable city, big and far, that the social workers and police would not be able to find them.

He stopped in a town to rest and to search information where to go, and perhaps to find a temporary job. He walked to the back of a department store to find a manager.

At that time, they just received some boxes of goods. But no one was there, only boxes. Mike looked inside one box and found some warped food. He stole some then fast he left to the dark alley beside the building. 

To his surprise, someone accosted him from behind, walking faster than he did, and blocked his way.

It was a man wearing helmet and sunglasses with jackets and gloves for the motorcyclist. 

The man threatened to report him stealing unless Mike agreed to help him. 

Mike refused at first but the man opened his wallet and offered him a lot of money and told him to choose between sheriff's office or that money.

Mike saw the tattoo when the man was pulling the money from his wallet. It was strange tattoo.

*

"What did he want you to do?" Zari and Amaya asked, concerned. 

"He wanted me to steal his motorcycle for insurance." Mike answered. "He pretended to buy something in the store. He left his key. I had to take it away to another city and kept it for a month. He would get money from the insurance by then."

"A month?" Ray asked, "Did you return it to him?"

"He told me to leave the motorcycle in a carpark. He gave me the date and the address. It's in our city." Mike said. "He said, I couldn't sell it. No paper. Besides, he said, he knew how to find me."

"So you did?" Sara asked. 

"So I did." Mike answered. "But after I took Amaya and Zari away from the farm."

*

Charlie seemed touched. "Mike, I don't know how to thank you. You took care my sister and my future wife for years. If you need any help, you ask me."

Mike grunted but looked pleased.

Zari seethed wanting to attack Charlie but Amaya halted her. 

*

After awhile, Ava asked, "You said that Damien helped you? How could you know?"

Mike stared at empty space before answered. He tried to explain. 

"After I left the motorcycle at the park. I slipped back hiding and waiting. I was waiting for hours. Almost gave up. I decided to take it back if no one came. But there was an expensive car came. It was an expensive motorcycle anyway. Someone dressed like a bodyguards went out from passenger seat and took the motorcycle. Then they left."

"Oh, so you know. The man was too rich to need insurance money." Nate concluded.

Mike only grunted.

"Did you know that it was my father?" Nora asked. 

"I did not know. I never met him again. I couldn't recognize his face. He used handkerchief to cover his mouth and nose." Mike answered. 

*

Everyone then steeped into their own minds, trying to digest all of the stories. 

Sara analyzed slowly. "If Damien threatened Amaya's father, why did he save his kids and then helped Mike?"

"Did he really threaten my father? How could you know?" Amaya asked.

"Because there was an accident before to his mother and brother. Oops... sorry. I promise my father." Sara stopped abruptly. 

"I didn't promise." Ava said, "Do you mind if I tell others?"

Sara let Ava inform others about Halverson family started with Amaya's grandfather as she knew from Sara's father. 

"But the police was not sure it was accident. Also with Anthony's car accident." Ava ended her story.

*

Nora shivered then said to the twin in a sad voice. "I do apologize to you both if my father did something bad to your family."

Amaya and Charlie assured her that they didn't blame her at all. They just wanted to know about their parent.

Zari rubbed her forehead and said, "So many mystery. And the answers only lead to another questions."

"I didn't know that you like poetry." Charlie smiled at Zari who glared back.

Gary sighed, "Everyone involved has passed away. Only Nora's father who knows. If we can ask him, we will know for sure what happened."

"Good, Gary." Ava said hopefully, "We can ask Nora's father."

Sara and her friends raised their eyebrows and stared at Ava with wide eyes, wanting to ask if she was losing her mind.

"Yes," Nora said, "I was thinking to ask my father. But alone. I do not want him to know you guys. He could be very hard."

A voice was heard from the door, shocking everyone. "Is that your opinion about your own father, Nora Doll?"

"Dad!" Nora shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I see my own daughter?" Damien Dahrk said with wide smiled and opened arms, waiting for Nora to come.

Beside him. Randy and Pam walked approaching them. 

Randy said, "We need to talk, Kids."


	26. Chapter 26

Garry gave his chair to Pam. Automatically Nate and Ray duplicated him. They gave their chairs for Randy and Damien Dahrk. Then they took chairs from inside. Unconsciously they sat surrounding Sara. Even Mike pushed his chair to be near Amaya and Zari. 

Pam watched them, smiling. 

Nora sat beside her father, frowning at him. She dared not to look at Ray. 

Damien Dahrk, still with his smile and cold eyes, looked at the youngsters in front of him. He greeted them one by one.

"Ava, congratulations. Nice choice."

"Thank you, Sir." Ava answered, smiling.

"Sara Lance, how's your father. He and I have long story." Damien chuckled. 

Sara didn't answer but she became tense. Ava put her hand on Sara's back.

But Damien had moved to greet others. He looked at the twins then he said, "ah, Charlie, you've your hair cut. It's nice."

Charlie raised her eyebrows. She looked at Amaya, considering to ask about their parent or kept her promise to her father. 

Damien had seen Zari and said, "You becomes a good friend like your parent to Halverson."

Zari froze staring at Damien. Before she could stop, she heard herself asking, "Did you kill my parent?"

Damien startled then laughed. Nora looked at her father suspiciously. "Did you really know Zari's parent?" Sge asked him.

Damien stopped laughing and answered. "No. I did not. They came in Halverson's funeral. He seemed very sad. He asked about Halverson's kids. That's what caught my attention."

Amaya and Zari looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Our fathers were friends?" Zari asked Damien

Damien shrugged. He said, "Perhaps. Or with Anthony's wife. I don't know. Next I know that he was killed by a car accident leaving a daughter in orphanage. I thought it would be better to put you together with Amaya."

Amaya didn't realize that she held her breath when she was asking this question and waiting the answer. "Did you kill my parent?"

Damien answered directly. "I couldn't save him. He betrayed us. Malcolm was very angry. But I have already had little Nora. I know how Anthony felt as a father. I asked him to meet me and discuss how to save you both."

Frowned, Randy concluded, "You took them one by one?"

"Yes. To make Malcolm believed that we had threatened him."

Curiously, Nate said, "You let Malcolm kill Halverson and his wife. No other way out."

Damien looked at him with his steel eyes, "Heywood. Nathaniel, right? How's Hank?"

Surprised, Nate asked, "You know my father?"

"I know everyone in my city. You all are growing up in front of my eyes," Damien answered. He saw Mike grunting, "Aren't you, Mike? The little thief. Do you recognize me?"

"Yes." Mike said.

"I knew you would." Damien smiled. "I knew you planned to save the girls from the drunken farmer. He was a good man before his wife died. Sadly."

"How did you know?" Mike asked.

"I always know what I should know." Damien said without smile. "I should keep the twins safe until Anthony's friend found them. I was waiting, years. I didn't know that his friend is Randy."

Damien smiled at Randy who shook his head and said, "It's so complicated. Because we never talked openly to one and another. Anthony didn't know that I know you. And we both didn't know that we knew him."

"Sir, could you please explain to us, how you two are close?" Ray asked Randy. He was confused like others about the connection of these two older men.

Damien looked at him. Nora felt her heartbeat stopped. 

"Ray Palmer. The genius. I read you dissertation. Good job, Son." Damien said.

Ray beamed but became frightened seeing Nora glared at him in murderous mode. He fluttered, "ugh, thank you, Sir."

"I knew him since I was toddler." Randy said. The young generation, except Ava and Nora, shocked. "He is like my big brother."

 _What?_ The young ones looked at him almost not believing their ears. Pam smiled witnessing their wide eyes.

Damien chuckled. "I will not tell what happened during that time."

Randy stared at him, suspiciously.

*

Damien told the story.

When he was a teenager, he came to Granda to learn how to fight. Grandpa was a champion, a master of martial art.

At first Grandpa wanted to refuse him as Grandpa saw Damien was too ambitious and keen of power. But Grandpa considered that Damien would find the way to master martial art. It would be a danger to let him out of Grandpa's eyes. He accepted Damien.

"The first thing Grandpa instructed me was to help Grandma taking care of Randy and doing chores. I helped at the farm too. I stayed at a hut which now in where the Green Family stayed. Not yet that big. The Greens hasn't come yet."

*

Damien was confused at first but he trusted Grandpa. He did every instruction without complaining. 

"It took two year before Grandpa taught me. But by then, I had learned to respect women and care of children. That's the vow Grandpa had made me do. He said that only the weak people who bullied the weakling. It is a shameful thing to do. I am not weak."

"You shot people in front of me when I was still a toddler." Suddenly Nora complained. 

Sighing, Damien said, "I have told you that I didn't know you sneaked into my study room."

"It's often. Until I get used to see it."

Shocked, Randy asked, "You killed people if front of Nora?"

"No killing. Kneecaps. Reprimanding them." Damien explained. 

"Have you killed people?" Nate asked.

"Yes." Damien said firmly. "But never women, children or old and weak people."

"Who were they?" Sara asked cautiously. 

Damien looked at her. Ava instinctively leaned closer to Sara.

"My rebel companions. Untrusted men. Will you report me to your father?" Damien smiled still with his steel eyes.

Sara didn't answer. She believed her father had known it but having lack of evidences. Although now there were many witnesses.


	27. Chapter 27

Perplexed, Gary asked, "Sir, with Grandpa watched over you, how did you manage to do crime?"

Damien chuckled and said, "What is crime, Gary, my boy? It's how the government issues business they do not concur. I am just a businessman, buying goods from cheaper places to sell it in the markets. Government wants to meddle it with rules. I asked what for the taxes they collect. They said for hospitals, schools, and so on. I have shared my profits to hospital, orphanages, libraries, public services including police departments. So, who did the crime?"

Sara rolled her eyes. _What Laurel would say with another definition of smuggling._ Then she startled. _Police department?_

Gary spluttered, "I... I mean, Sir..." 

He stopped, dare not to continue. 

Randy answered him. "As you know, Gary, The Sharpes doesn't get involved with Damien's business. If it is what you are afraid of. 

Gary flushed, "I know, Sir. But Grandpa let it happen."

"Because no one can stop the businessmen to do business." Damien explained. "If I didn't do, other players would do. They might do it worse."

Randy nodded, "I needed time to accept it."

"You left to Asia because of it, didn't you?" Damien asked Randy.

"Yes, I actually did." Randy smiled, looking briefly at Damien and Pam then turned his gaze to the youngsters in front of him. 

"What made you accept it, Sir?" Nate asked.

Randy looked at him in a brief silent before answering. "One of my teachers explained when I told him about this matter. He said that Grandpa is very wise and patience. It is better to have the devil we know than the ones we are oblivious about."

"I am the devil that Grandpa knows well." Damien added.

Silently Sara sighed. _The Lances will disagree if they know._ But she could accept it. She knew that her friends would too. They were growing up with Mike after all.

*

"Does Grandpa know Malcolm well too?" Nate asked after a while. 

Damien and Randy shook their head.

"No," Damien answered. "I defeated other players, small and big, around these areas. My combat skills made me manage it easily. But Malcolm has the same strength and skills. We were fighting and causing bad destructions for both of us. I came to Granda for advice. He simply told me that..."

"If you cannot conquer your enemies, make them become your friends." Randy finished Damien's words.

"And Malcolm agrees. It is better than to have a Pyrrhic Victory." Damien said.

Nate turned to his friends and explained, "It means victory that needs a very massive expenses. It becomes absurd to even win or fight the war."

*

"Then both of you play with drugs." Nora chided. 

Other youngsters stared at Damien blankly. 

Randy lowered his gaze then slowly closed his eyes and rubbed his face. 

"Nora, darling girl," Damien said helplessly, "I have explained it to you. It is just a commodity. And we play it safe. I make Malcolm understand to let go the teenagers."

Damien looked at the youngsters and asked, "No one ever try to sell drugs to you, don't they?"

Slowly Sara and her friends nodded one by one. _That's right._

Damien said with his icy steel eyes, "No one dares. No drugs at school. No teens get involved. I shoot anyone who dares to disobey."

Nora sighed, rolling her eyes.

Damien turned to look at her. His eyes became soft and gentle, losing the cold shine.

*

Zari asked, "What happened to Amaya's ... I mean, Halverson's family?"

Damien said coldly, "It's Malcolm's business. Halverson was originally his lawyer. I knew the law firm briefly after the old Halverson died. It was because the young Halverson got newborn kids, I got involved."

"Did my father help Malcolm's crimes?" Amaya asked.

Damien stared at her and said, "You look like your mother. She had that look. Brave woman."

"Did you meet my mother?" Amaya asked curiously.

"Yes. She was there when I accompanied Malcolm to visit your father's office. She was pregnant. She knew us but she didn't look afraid at all."

Amaya looked at Charlie, startled. She felt a big wave of turmoil emotions in her twin.

Charlie looked back. Briefly their gazes met, they understood each other's minds.

Charlie didn't want to know. Amaya dropped her curiosity directly.

Charlie had told her about their parent. Their father always spoke in gentle tone. Their mother liked to sing. They were happy and cheerful.

Charlie had asked Amaya to remember only those memories. Their parent had reasons and situations that made them did what they did. They had sacrificed their lives.

"Let's live our lives like our parent wanted us to be. We owe them those." Charlie pleaded and Amaya had agreed.

*

But Nate didn't know their agreement. He wanted the clarity. "Malcolm killed the Halverson because the Halverson betrayed him."

"It was a car accident. The police closed the case with it. Don't they?" Damien winked at Sara. 

Sara glared at him then accused, "You said earlier that Halverson betrayed you and Malcolm."

"He left his family's law firm and some documents were missing. His partners couldn't find those. Documents about our business."

"The document must be very important that caused Malcolm's anger." Nate concluded.

"It was. But not anymore." Damien answered and smiled.

Randy looked at him, shocked, "Not anymore? The police just found it out."

"I know." Damien answered cheerfully. "Time has change. They will not do anything. Not much."

"How could you know?" Randy asked, confused. "It's just a couple hour ago."

Damien winked at him, "You don't want to know how."

*

Nate still wanted to ask but Damien stood up. Randy and Pam followed him.

"It's enough. I come just to talk to my baby girl." Damien said. He looked at Nora who stood up facing him.

"The press will make many noisy buzz about me. I want you to stay with Grandpa until they calm down." 

"Will the police arrest you?" Nora asked, worried. 

Damien chuckled, "They will not. Malcolm and I become too important for them. Do not worry about it."

Sara, standing beside Ava, asked, "Both of you are too important for the police? What does it mean?"

Damien looked at her, amused. "Perhaps you better ask your father. Just say that they need me and Malcolm to avoid bigger problems."

"What's the bigger problem?" Nate asked. 

"Enough, kids." Damien shouted. "I have to go. Let me say goodbye to my daughter in peace. It will be long time before I see her again."

Ray, approaching them, without hesitate said, "Sir, I ask your permission to be Nora's boyfriend."

Nora felt her heartbeat stopped painfully, frightened like dying. 

Others were shocked with Ray's statement, and more over with what happened after that.

Like lightening Damien blasted toward Ray. His fist almost caught Ray's face but Randy was faster repulsing him.

"Damien, Damien, What a fist to cause much ado." Randy made a joke while avoiding Damien's other attacks.

But his voice was firm when he said to his daughter, "Ava, take all your friends inside."

Ava abruptly obeyed.


	28. Chapter 28

From behind the glass windows, Sara and her friends witnessed the fight between Randy Sharpe and Damien Dahrk.

Pam Sharpe only took a glance then went to the kitchen, murmuring _Boys never grow up._

Ava followed to help her. 

Nora was going to help but she saw Ray who looked at her sheepishly.

Nora suddenly became angry. She attacked Ray, scolding and punching him. Then she left him to follow Ava.

Others barely noticed them. They were captured by the fighting.

Damien had kicked Randy but failed. He kicked the table instead causing the marker table broken into pieces. Then the benches and the flower pots ruined. 

Charlie said, "Grandpa will teach you how to fight like that this summer."

"I am in," Mike directly said.

Nate said to Ray, "You're crazy, man."

Zari added, "You are dead. You cannot defeat him."

Sara told him, "We will find a way, Ray."

"Don't worry, Ray," said Amaya, "We face it together."

Ray thanked them all and said cheerfully, "We will learn how to fight. We can manage it." 

Charlie heard him, and said, "It took more than ten years to master. It is if we start early before ten years old."

"If we start at twenty?" Mike asked. 

"If we are diligent perhaps needs another twenty years." Charlie replied.

"Never mind," Garry encouraged, "At least we can fight someone else."

*

Not long Pam came trailed by Ava and Nora, both carrying a tray of snacks and drink.

Ava smiled at Sara and said, "Watch this." She pointed out with her chin to her mother.

Pam walked nonchalantly to the fighting men and placed herself between them. The young audiences held their breath, shocked.

But calmly Pam put both her hands to Damien and Randy. Both men were pushed back and stumbled.

The young audiences gasped. 

Panting, the men stood up. Ava and Nora came and gave the drink to their fathers.

The fathers took it then found some half broken benches to sit.

Randy cleaned one bench and asked Pam to sit there. Then he sat at the ruined table nearby with Ava beside him.

Damien sat on the another bench with Nora.

Others looked from inside the house. Randy and Damien were laughing while Pam shook her head. Ava gave her mother a drink too. They were talking and eating the snack.

Damien had calmed down.

*

Sara looked at them for awhile then she walked to the armchair and sat there.

Amaya and Zari followed her. Not long others gathered.

Garry and Charlie went to the kitchen searching for drinks.

"Are you okay?" Amaya asked Sara.

"I don't know." Sara admitted. "Things change."

Zari nodded, "I feel like we are leaving our childhood."

"Our last summer as teenagers," Amaya said.

"It will not change that much. We are stil us, aren't we?" Nate said. 

"What's on your mind actually, Sara?" asked Ray.

Sara lowered her voice, "I will marry to the family I barely know. I know they are good people but..."

"They are closed with your father's enemy," Amaya said.

Sara nodded.

Charlie and Garry came with snacks and drinks. They altered the conversation.

*

Damien Dahrk left soon after that with Nora. He still wanted to spend time with his daughter. 

The Sharpe came inside and they all gathered in the living room. The boys sat on the rug at the floor. Not enough chairs. The chairs they took outside had been broken.

Randy told them about Grandpa's schedule for the next three months. 

Mike was so thrilled. Grandpa would teach him personally. 

Ray and Nate would be taught by Randy.

Sara, Zari and Amaya with Pam.

Amaya and Zari will move to stay with the Sharpes. Sara stayed with Ava, and Mike would stay with Grandpa.

They looked at Mike, wondering. Mike seemed confused too.

They moved that night as the training would begin early in the following morning.

They were surprised to know that Grandma would teach Nora.

Ava and Charlie would help training them between the chores at the farm.

When Sara and her friends wanted to know more about Damien Dahrk, both Randy and Pam said simultaneously to not worry about him or other things. It was better to train and prepare ourselves than to worry uselessly. 

They stopped asking. 

*

Then their training began. Ava and Charlie took them in the morning running passing the meadow.

About one hour running, they reached the forest.

"Does it belong to your family too?" Nate asked.

Ava nodded.

"They are ancient trees." Nate said. "Your family must have been here for hundreds years."

Ava nodded again and said, "Running and training here for hundred years too."

Then she and Charlie started to climb up different trees. They asked other to choose their trees and climbed it up.

After all were up the trees, Ava and Charlie climbed down, then up again. They were fast. Then they stopped. Ava asked others to do it ten times.

Zari grumbled, "They train us to be monkeys."

Charlie replied, "You will be a beautiful monkey."

Zari glared at her, "But still a monkey."

*

Then they ran back in different way. This time they passed a brook, about two meters wide. They crossed it safely. But then Ava and Charlie crossed it back. Then cross it again. 

Ava asked them to do it ten times.

Zari was the first to fall down. Amaya was the second because she wanted to help Zari. Finally all of them had fallen and became wet. They glared at Ava and Charlie. Both tried to not grin but failed.

Finally they reached the farm. Exhausted and hungry.

Garry had been waiting for them. Randy and Pam were there too.

They ate voraciously. Pam had to tell Mike and Zari to slow down.

*

After breakfast, Randy taught them to meditate. They were all sitting in the barn. Gary had put several carpets on the floor with sitting cushions.

They sat and listened to Randy's instructions before they closed their eyes.

Mike and Nate were the first who succeeded falling asleep, and snoring loudly. Others giggled.

Randy woke them by tapping their shoulders gently but not long they fell asleep again. He let them.

Then others tried to calm their body and mind with the background of their duet snoring.

*

They went separately after meditation session. Mike and Nora walked to Grandpa's house.

Randy took Ray and Nate running to a field near the big farm.

Pam escorted Sara, Amya and Zari to near the Sharpe's big house.

Ava and Charlie worked at the farm.

They had lunch separately too. Pam and the girls cooked at the house. The boys and Randy ate in the barn with Gary and Charlie.

Ava came to have lunch with her mother and Sara.

The nice thing after lunch was taking nap for one hour. 

Zari said, "The Happiest Hour."

Mike and Nore had lunch with Grandpa.

They trained again all afternoon then they gathered for supper. But Mike and Nora were not there. 

_Grandpa seemed very concerned with them both_. Zari said to Amaya and Sara. 

Sara said that she had asked Ava but Ava didn't know why.

After supper, Randy told them to sit meditation again for one hour. He gave instructions, then they all closed their eyes trying to follow the instructions. 

When Randy opened his eyes, he found his daughter grinning at him. Beside her, Sara was asleep with her head on Ava's lap.

Amaya and Zari were asleep too with their head supported each other.

Nate and Ray were deep asleep with their head touching their chest.

Charlie grinned when Randy met her eyes. 

*

The next morning, although they had applied the herbal cream Pam had given them through their body, they had sore the whole body.

Ava and Charlie didn't seem to concern to slow down their morning running. They both insisted. 

_Better bleeding in the training than death in the war._ Their motto.

Zari grunted, "We have no intention to join any military army. With whom we will have war?"

"At least you can win the running contest," Charlie teased her.

Zari glared at her, "Not interested with any running contest."

But they kept following their training they had agreed.

*

They didn't meet Mike and Nora that day or the following days. They had been wondering but neither Randy nor Pam gave any answers. 

It was after two weeks training they finally met Mike and Nora. 

Grandpa instructed them to learn about weapons every Sunday. They went to a range behind Grandpa's house.

They knew how to shoot or took care the guns. Sara's father taught Sara and Laurel. Sara asked him to teach her friends too.

But this time they were dumbstruck to see so many kind of weapons. They were shocked more to see how skillful each of the Sharpes family handled them.

Mike was extremely thrilled. He liked guns. Nate and Ray were too.

Zari comment quietly to her friends, "We are involved with a mafia family."

Sara was overwhelmed to see how Ava fluently handling the gun like only a play.

She replied Zari, "Now we will become mafias too."

Amaya said, "Wonder what we are doing."

Zari answered, "They will send us to robe a bank."


	29. Chapter 29

At night after learning about weapons, Sara asked Ava about it.

Ava said that most of the weapons were from Damien. He collected it. He gave them all to Grandpa and Randy who seemed to like them.

"We often gathered once a week to cleaning them," Ava said. "They let me to help after I was about eight, until my hands were strong enough to carry it."

Sara widened her eyes.

Ava continued, unaware with Sara's reaction, "It's our weekly routine. Each of us has our favorite weapons. We never really use them. We use empty bullets. We don't like the loud sounds."

"So we will not use them too." Sara asked. "What for then?"

Ava mused it. "I believe it has a good side than calming the mind."

"Cleaning guns calm the mind?"

"Yes. But I think that we need to know our enemy's power. I mean if we have enemies and they use guns. At least we understand their power and limitations."

Sara blinked. _What a weird family._

*

Amaya and Zari stayed in the big house. They had their own rooms. Charlie had one too.

Randy made sure that the rooms were well furnished and equipped for each of them.

Charlie wanted to refuse but Amaya told her to accept it.

"He feels guilty to our father not to find us earlier. At least we let him do this for us."

Charlie agreed but only lasted for one night. The next nights she came back to her cot in the barn.

She explained to Pam and Randy that it was easier to escort the boys for morning excercise.

*

Zari was happy too to have her own room. But she barely visited it. She spent most of their free time in Amaya's room. 

"It's too big. It's creepy to sleep alone there," she said.

Amaya didn't mind. She felt uncomfortable too to be alone in her new room.

*

Randy had found Anthony's grave and his wife's.

One Sunday morning, he visited it alone while the kids were busy in weapons session with Grandpa. 

Both graves were neglected. He was relief that he came first before the twins.

Randy asked the grave keeper to take care of them.

The next Sunday, he came with Pam. Both graves were in better condition. 

Pam planted some flowers beside the graves.

"When do you think the girls will be ready?" Randy asked.

Pam considered, then said, "No one will be ready to visit their parent's grave for the first time. Needs time to get used with it."

Randy nodded, "Better to take them in weekdays. Cemetery is crowded in the weekend."

The following week, after breakfast, Randy planned to take only the twins to the cemetery. Amaya asked him to let Zari and Sara to accompany her. Randy agreed.

Finally all of them went including Mike and Nora.

In the cemetary, they didn't come closer. They stood a bit far and let the twin have their personal time.

They saw Charlie cried then Amaya hugged her.

One by one they wiped the tears in their eyes.

After they saw the twin had recovered, they came closer and put flowers on both graves.

On the way back, Randy told the twin that he would take them there any time they wanted.

*

Sara sighed and said, "It's strange. What happened in our parent's generation affects us much. It seems almost like their decisions directed our lives."

She was on the way back from the cemetery, sitting beside Ava who drove the car. Nora and Zari were at the backseat. The twin were with Randy. And the boys went back with Garry.

"I think it's like us now. What we will do later or now too, will effect our children." Zari said, "We don't mean to trouble them."

"Perhaps because we don't know if we will have them," Nora added. "Our parents didn't know too. They weren't aware of us. We weren't born yet."

Sara looked at Ava and asked, "Ava, do you want us to have children?"

Ava startled and considered it, "I don't know. Do you want?"

Sara furrowed her eyebrows. "I think we have to start considering about them. Not only ours but others' too. Nora's, Zari's, Amaya's or even Mike's. We should be careful with what we do now."

Ava smiled.

Zari winced, "It's weird to think about our children. We are barely leaving our teenage."

"I don't want to have any children," Nora said affirmatively.

Others looked at her. Zari asked, "Why so sure?"

"Because my father's reputation," Nora answered. "He didn't mean to have me. He said if he knew I would be born, he better became a farmer helping Grandpa like Mr. Green."

Others were silent. They understood her.

Sara turned to look at Nora, briefly.

She said, "Nora, I want you to know. Actually we often heard about your father from my father. My father has many cases with your father. And now, seeing him directly and from your side..."

"It changes many thing." Zari added, helping Sara to explain, "Our opinions, our views, mainly after the conversation with your father."

"We used to see things in extreme black and white." Sara continued.

"Although we have Mike. He is not black and not white," Zari added.

Sara nodded, "Yes, I feel we have grown-up now."

Nora smiled and said, "I understand how you feel about my father."

Sara said, gaving her hand to Nora who held it, "Hey, we all will be always friends. Okay?"

Nora said, smiling, "Okay."

Zari held their hands too.

After awhile Nora said, "I think Grandpa and Grandma are worried about me. They train me hard."

"Do you know why?" Zari asked Nora.

"I am not sure," Nora sighed, "It's like something is happening or will happen soon. And it will affect my father very much. And me too."

"Ava, do you know something about it?" Sara asked.

"I don't know," Ava answered. "My parent didn't know too when I asked. Perhaps Nora's father asks Grandpa to train Nora. Don't you feel so, Nora?"

"Oh," Nora suddenly realized it, "He certainly did. He pushed me to master the martial art like him. He taught me years ago. I think he becomes worrier that before."

Sara mused, "That's why Amaya's father didn't want her and Charlie to look back to his problems. He wanted them to live free from family's business. But it's hard for you, Nora."

Nora sighed, "Yes, it is. The situation is not the same."


	30. Chapter 30

Commissioner Lance sat in his office, alone, staring at empty space. 

He just came back from meeting with his supervisor, the Chief Commissioner. He met two of his colleagues there, the commissioners from two different provinces. 

The meeting was informal, in his supervisor's resident house. They had to left their phones before entering the dining room. His supervisor arranged the meeting as a social dinner gathering. 

The aim of this meeting was really for him. He was advised to drop the case of Malcolm Dahrk Co. 

Commissioner Lance almost couldn't believe his ears listening of this order although it sounded like a suggestion. 

Two of his colleagues, then, explained to him that they needed Mr. Dahrk and Mr. Malcolm to operate controlling the crime in his region. They needed both men to expand their business to their provinces.

Commissioner Lance startled. He said nothing, waiting for further explanation.

In those two provinces there were a couple villians who controlled the crime under a decent company, Neron inc. They started in a small city then conquered a whole province. Now two provinces were in their hands. 

Commissioner Lance's province was their next target.

"I envy you, Lance," one of his colleagues said, "Your villains are the good ones. They play safe. Mine are ugly players."

Their Chief said that Mr. Neron's men had come to Commissioner Lance's province to make sure that he would put Mr. Dahrk and Mr. Malcolm in jail. They used the righteous people to work for it without being aware what's behind it.

After Mr. Dahrk and Mr. Malcolm were in jail, Neron Inc. would invade. It would be under many smaller companies.

"We need these two men to do the dirty works. We cannot do what's still having no proof. Let the villains fight among them. We make sure the ones we can control become the winner."

*

As he was advised, Commissioner Lance sent four of his chief inspectors to study the Neron Inc. cases at those two provinces. His colleagues would make them see what happened if they lost Mr. Dahrk and Mr. Malcolm.

Now his next hard duty was to explain it to his daughter, Laurel.

Laurel had spent one month studying this case. She worked hard to help him. 

His daughter would get hurt. She might will lose her trust in the law enforcement.

Commissioner Lance sighed.

*

His young assistant had suggested and was sure that they could defeat Neron Inc.

But Commissioner Lance knew better that it only could happen after the Neron Inc. did much damage that gave the police evidences. 

The Malcolm Dahrk Co. would do better with their own way before any damages happened, even they would block any chances for Neron Inc. to exist there.

His hand phone beeped. It was the phone for family only. He took it and saw a call from a private number. Who could it be?

He picked it up. An unfamiliar man's voice was heard.

"Commissioner Lance?"

"Yes. Who's this?"

"It's Damien Dahrk, Sir."

*

One minute later, the Commissioner put his phone on the desk, slowly. He breathed deeply, calming his heart.

Damien Dahrk asked to meet him in a secure and neutral place. He gave him the address.

_The Sharpe Family Farm._

The Commissioner's mind suddenly became heavy and clouded.

_Sara._


	31. Chapter 31

That afternoon, Commissioner Lance spent a couple hours reading about the Sharpe family from local newspapers and magazines. They almost owned all of the city businesses and had helped charity fund for decades.

Commissioner Lance mused, _there must be something else as the source of their income._

He clicked an icon software and type the password. Only the high rank of police officers could open it. He wondered if he could get more information. It was only for special cases.

Strangely, he found a file under the name of Sharpe family. He opened it and startled. 

They had business jewelry handcraft. They opened the bid of their jewelry only once a year. _It ought to be very fine quality._

Commissioner Lance saw the range of prices. He gasped. _No wonder,_ he thought. He spent an hour reading of the Sharpe Jewelry and their buyers.

When he wanted to know more about the member of Sharpe Family, he needed to enter another password and it failed.

He stared at the screen and wondered.

The phone on his desk rang, he picked it up. His supervisor. 

"Yes, Sir?" He said.

"Lance, why do you want to know about the Sharpe Family?"

Commissioner Lance stunned.

*

After awhile, Commissioner Lance regained his composure, he explained. 

"Mr. Dahrk just called me to meet him there, Sir."

"I know. I arrange the meeting."

 _What?_ Commissioner Lance almost couldn't control his emotion.

"Anything else, Lance?" 

"My youngest daughter engages with their daughter, Sir."

"I know."

Commissioner Lance was perplexed. 

"Lance?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Congratulations."

The older man ended the call.

*

Late at night, Ava found Sara sitting on the couch, thinking of something with her hand phone on her lap.

"What's up, Babe?" She asked. 

Sara sighed and said, "Laurel. She's upset. She asked why I didn't tell her about Damien Dahrk."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Ava asked. 

Sara looked at her, said nothing. 

Ava touched her cheek, "Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Just because Damien has a dark side, it doesn't mean he's totally bad guy."

"Laurel hardly understands that," Sara said, "She will come tomorrow."

"I know. Dad told me. He asked your father to take Laurel with him."

"What's the meeting all about?"

"We will find out tomorrow. Grandpa wants us to listen. He said, we need to know."

"All of us?

"No. Not enough room. Just you and me. Nora. And Mike too."

"Mike?" Sara's eyebrows furrowed. "Seems Grandpa has some plan for him."

Ava mused, "Not sure."


End file.
